Plum vs. Apricot — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
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.
Table of contents
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
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
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).
REFERENCES
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171697/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169949/nutrients
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2009.01795.x
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22935143/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21409897/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1850578/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319260549
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058731/
- https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5001
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684512/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28230726/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4307252/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10218665/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26992121/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12166993/
Infographic
Macronutrient Comparison
Fat Type Comparison
Carbohydrate type comparison
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Rich in minerals |
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| Rich in vitamins |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Lower in price | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 10.02g | 9.12g |
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| Protein | 0.7g | 1.4g |
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| Fats | 0.28g | 0.39g |
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| Carbs | 11.42g | 11.12g |
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| Calories | 46kcal | 48kcal |
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| Fructose | 3.07g | 0.94g |
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| Sugar | 9.92g | 9.24g |
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| Fiber | 1.4g | 2g |
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| Calcium | 6mg | 13mg |
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| Iron | 0.17mg | 0.39mg |
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| Magnesium | 7mg | 10mg |
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| Phosphorus | 16mg | 23mg |
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| Potassium | 157mg | 259mg |
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| Sodium | 0mg | 1mg |
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| Zinc | 0.1mg | 0.2mg |
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| Copper | 0.057mg | 0.078mg |
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| Manganese | 0.052mg | 0.077mg |
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| Selenium | 0µg | 0.1µg |
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| Vitamin A | 345IU | 1279IU |
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| Vitamin A RAE | 17µg | 96µg |
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| Vitamin E | 0.26mg | 0.89mg |
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| Vitamin C | 9.5mg | 10mg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.028mg | 0.03mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.026mg | 0.04mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 0.417mg | 0.6mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.135mg | 0.24mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.029mg | 0.054mg |
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| Folate | 5µg | 9µg |
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| Vitamin K | 6.4µg | 3.3µg |
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| Tryptophan | 0.009mg | 0.015mg |
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| Threonine | 0.01mg | 0.047mg |
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| Isoleucine | 0.014mg | 0.041mg |
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| Leucine | 0.015mg | 0.077mg |
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| Lysine | 0.016mg | 0.097mg |
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| Methionine | 0.008mg | 0.006mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.014mg | 0.052mg |
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| Valine | 0.016mg | 0.047mg |
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| Histidine | 0.009mg | 0.027mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.017g | 0.027g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.134g | 0.17g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.044g | 0.077g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
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.
- Plum - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169949/nutrients
- Apricot - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171697/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.