You’ve heard of the so-called “super fruits” — fruits with exceptional nutrients that are high in antioxidants, such as acai berries, pomegranates or blueberries, which can be expensive.
Now, scientists are touting the plum as the newest star to hit the line of super fruits, Indo-Asian News Service reported.
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“They are likely to give the pricier blueberries some stiff competition,” said Luis Cisneros, a food scientist at Texas AgriLife Research.
Cisneros, and AgriLife Research plant breeder David Byrne, judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines. These fruits matched or exceeded the blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients that are associated with preventing diseases, according to Cisneros and Byrne.
However, the plum is a more economical fruit is these tough financial times, the duo noted.
And the plum offers another benefit that blueberries do not, Cisneros added.
“People tend to eat just a few blueberries at a time — a few on the cereal or as an ingredient mixed with lots of sugar,” Cisneros said. “But people will eat a whole plum at once and get the full benefit.”
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