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Apricot vs. Plum — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on November 16, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Apricot
vs
Plum

Summary

Apricots are richer in minerals, vitamins A and B-complex. On the other hand, plums are higher carbs, and vitamin K. Apricots are also richer in fiber compared to plums. Both of them have a wide range of health benefits.

Introduction

Both being members of the Rosaceae family, the plum and apricot have a lot of similarities. These juicy fruits are packed with carbs, minerals, and vitamins. However, plums and apricots differ in nutrient content. This article will discuss the general and nutritional differences and the health impacts of raw apricots (1) and common plums (2).

Taste, smell, appearance

The two fruits belong to the same family (Rosaceae), so they have much in common. However, they differ in appearance, scent, and color.

Plums (Prunus domestica) are characterized by their smooth, oval-shaped exterior and reddish-purple color. The typical scents are sweet or tart. China is the origin of plums.

The apricot's scientific name, Prunus armeniaca, refers to the regional abundance of the fruit. The Armenian plum is another name for it. Apricots have highly smooth skin. The extract from an apricot's kernel smells bitter, whereas the fruit itself smells lush and sweet. Apricots typically have orange or yellow skin, although occasionally, they can have red blushes.

Nutrition

Vitamins

Vitamins are nutrients the human body cannot synthesize. Vitamins are abundant in fresh fruits such as plums and apricots.

Plums are high in vitamin K, although apricots have more A, E, and B-complex vitamins.

Apricots offer nearly four times more vitamin A than plums, with 1279IU per 100g compared to 345IU in plums.

For more detailed information, check the vitamin comparison chart below.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
1
Plum
Contains more Vitamin A +270.7%
Contains more Vitamin E +242.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +53.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +43.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +77.8%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +86.2%
Contains more Folate +80%
Contains more Vitamin K +93.9%
Equal in Vitamin C - 9.5
Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.028
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 77% 18% 0% 34% 8% 10% 12% 15% 13% 7% 0% 9%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 21% 6% 0% 32% 7% 6% 8% 9% 7% 4% 0% 16%
Contains more Vitamin A +270.7%
Contains more Vitamin E +242.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +53.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +43.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +77.8%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +86.2%
Contains more Folate +80%
Contains more Vitamin K +93.9%
Equal in Vitamin C - 9.5
Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.028

Minerals

Apricot is the absolute winner in this section.

Apricot is higher in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and copper than common plum.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
1
Plum
Contains more Calcium +116.7%
Contains more Iron +129.4%
Contains more Magnesium +42.9%
Contains more Phosphorus +43.8%
Contains more Potassium +65%
Contains more Zinc +100%
Contains more Copper +36.8%
Contains more Manganese +48.1%
Contains more Selenium +∞%
Contains less Sodium -100%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 4% 15% 8% 10% 23% 1% 6% 27% 11% 1%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 2% 7% 5% 7% 14% 0% 3% 19% 7% 0%
Contains more Calcium +116.7%
Contains more Iron +129.4%
Contains more Magnesium +42.9%
Contains more Phosphorus +43.8%
Contains more Potassium +65%
Contains more Zinc +100%
Contains more Copper +36.8%
Contains more Manganese +48.1%
Contains more Selenium +∞%
Contains less Sodium -100%

Macronutrients

Proteins

Fruits are generally not considered protein sources, but they contain some amounts. Apricots provide more protein than plums.

Carbs

Large quantities of these chemicals can be found in all fruits. Plums have slightly more carbs than apricots. What is more, apricots have fewer sugars than plums. They contain less fructose.

Fiber

Apricots are higher in both forms of fiber, but especially soluble fibers, which help keep healthy blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

The fiber level of apricots is higher than that of plums.

Fats

Lipids are not found in plums or apricots in considerable quantities. The two fruits are equal in cholesterol content: they do not contain any amount.

Calories

Plums and apricots have almost similar amounts of calories. Both of them are considered low-calorie fruits.

Health impact

Cardiovascular health

Consumption of apricots and plums regularly may help to improve cardiovascular health. They both produce a large number of compounds that help to keep the heart healthy.

Apricots support heart health as they naturally contain a large amount of water. Consuming apricots helps avoid dehydration, which can cause coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke (3). Additionally, the polyphenols in apricots may aid in reducing cardiovascular risks (4).

Consuming plums is associated with decreased blood pressure (5) and blood LDL (bad) cholesterol levels (6). These results are due to plums' high antioxidant content.

Diabetes

Both fruits are suitable for people with diabetes, containing different compounds that help maintain blood glucose levels.

Low glycemic index foods, like apricots, are essential for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. This suggests that apricots are healthy for blood sugar levels. Patients with type 2 diabetes can reduce it by consuming apricots (7). Some studies indicate that apricot fiber can delay digestion and reduce blood glucose release, improving insulin sensitivity.

Adiponectin is a vital hormone controlling blood sugar, and plum consumption raise its levels (8). Consuming plums is also associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes (9).

Antioxidants

These compounds counteract dangerous free radicals that can harm all cells and cause oxidative stress (10). As a result, obesity and cardiovascular diseases may both be caused by oxidative stress (12). Apricots and plums are antioxidant powerhouses. These two fruits contribute to the body's antioxidant defense.

Beta carotene, vitamins A and E, and flavonoids like chlorogenic acids are just a few antioxidants abundant in apricots. A high flavonoid intake can aid in reducing oxidative stress. Additionally, peroxyl and thiyl radicals, both toxic to the organism in high concentrations, can be stabilized and neutralized by vitamin A (13).

Plums are exceptionally high in polyphenols, which protect against diabetes and heart disease (14). According to research, plums contain roughly twice as many polyphenols as nectarines and peaches (15).

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
Education: General Medicine at YSMU
Last updated: November 16, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Apricot vs Plum infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
2
Plum
Contains more Protein +100%
Contains more Fats +39.3%
Contains more Other +100%
Equal in Carbs - 11.42
Equal in Water - 87.23
11% 86%
Protein: 1.4 g
Fats: 0.39 g
Carbs: 11.12 g
Water: 86.35 g
Other: 0.74 g
11% 87%
Protein: 0.7 g
Fats: 0.28 g
Carbs: 11.42 g
Water: 87.23 g
Other: 0.37 g
Contains more Protein +100%
Contains more Fats +39.3%
Contains more Other +100%
Equal in Carbs - 11.42
Equal in Water - 87.23

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
1
Plum
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +26.9%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +75%
Contains less Saturated Fat -37%
10% 62% 28%
Saturated Fat: 0.027 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.17 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.077 g
9% 69% 23%
Saturated Fat: 0.017 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.134 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.044 g
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +26.9%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +75%
Contains less Saturated Fat -37%

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
:
4
Plum
Contains more Sucrose +273.9%
Contains more Glucose +113.9%
Contains more Fructose +226.6%
Contains more Maltose +33.3%
Contains more Galactose +∞%
64% 26% 10%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 5.87 g
Glucose: 2.37 g
Fructose: 0.94 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0.06 g
Galactose: 0 g
16% 51% 31%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 1.57 g
Glucose: 5.07 g
Fructose: 3.07 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0.08 g
Galactose: 0.14 g
Contains more Sucrose +273.9%
Contains more Glucose +113.9%
Contains more Fructose +226.6%
Contains more Maltose +33.3%
Contains more Galactose +∞%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Apricot Plum
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Lower in price Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Apricot Plum Opinion
Net carbs 9.12g 10.02g Plum
Protein 1.4g 0.7g Apricot
Fats 0.39g 0.28g Apricot
Carbs 11.12g 11.42g Plum
Calories 48kcal 46kcal Apricot
Fructose 0.94g 3.07g Plum
Sugar 9.24g 9.92g Apricot
Fiber 2g 1.4g Apricot
Calcium 13mg 6mg Apricot
Iron 0.39mg 0.17mg Apricot
Magnesium 10mg 7mg Apricot
Phosphorus 23mg 16mg Apricot
Potassium 259mg 157mg Apricot
Sodium 1mg 0mg Plum
Zinc 0.2mg 0.1mg Apricot
Copper 0.078mg 0.057mg Apricot
Manganese 0.077mg 0.052mg Apricot
Selenium 0.1µg 0µg Apricot
Vitamin A 1279IU 345IU Apricot
Vitamin A RAE 96µg 17µg Apricot
Vitamin E 0.89mg 0.26mg Apricot
Vitamin C 10mg 9.5mg Apricot
Vitamin B1 0.03mg 0.028mg Apricot
Vitamin B2 0.04mg 0.026mg Apricot
Vitamin B3 0.6mg 0.417mg Apricot
Vitamin B5 0.24mg 0.135mg Apricot
Vitamin B6 0.054mg 0.029mg Apricot
Folate 9µg 5µg Apricot
Vitamin K 3.3µg 6.4µg Plum
Tryptophan 0.015mg 0.009mg Apricot
Threonine 0.047mg 0.01mg Apricot
Isoleucine 0.041mg 0.014mg Apricot
Leucine 0.077mg 0.015mg Apricot
Lysine 0.097mg 0.016mg Apricot
Methionine 0.006mg 0.008mg Plum
Phenylalanine 0.052mg 0.014mg Apricot
Valine 0.047mg 0.016mg Apricot
Histidine 0.027mg 0.009mg Apricot
Saturated Fat 0.027g 0.017g Plum
Monounsaturated Fat 0.17g 0.134g Apricot
Polyunsaturated fat 0.077g 0.044g Apricot

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Apricot Plum
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
16%
Apricot
9%
Plum
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
10%
Apricot
6%
Plum

Comparison summary

Which food contains less Sodium?
Plum
Plum contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Plum
Plum is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.01g)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Apricot
Apricot is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.68g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Apricot
Apricot is lower in glycemic index (difference - 19)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Apricot
Apricot is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Apricot
Apricot is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($0.5)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Apricot - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171697/nutrients
  2. Plum - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169949/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.