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Apricot vs. Plum — What's the Difference Between?

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

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.
Plum
1
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 32% 21% 5.2% 0% 7% 6% 7.8% 8.1% 6.7% 0% 16% 3.8% 1%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 33% 77% 18% 0% 7.5% 9.2% 11% 14% 12% 0% 8.3% 6.8% 1.5%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +93.9%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +270.7%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +242.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +53.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +43.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +77.8%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +86.2%
Contains more FolateFolate +80%
Contains more CholineCholine +47.4%
~equal in Vitamin C ~10mg
~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.03mg
~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

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.
Plum
1
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 5% 1.8% 14% 6.4% 19% 2.7% 6.9% 0% 6.8% 0%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.1% 3.9% 23% 15% 26% 5.5% 9.9% 0.13% 10% 0.55%
Contains less SodiumSodium -100%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +42.9%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +116.7%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +65%
Contains more IronIron +129.4%
Contains more CopperCopper +36.8%
Contains more ZincZinc +100%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +43.8%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +48.1%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +∞%

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

Plum vs Apricot infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

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

Fat Type Comparison

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

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Plum
4
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
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
Contains more GlucoseGlucose +113.9%
Contains more FructoseFructose +226.6%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose +33.3%
Contains more GalactoseGalactose +∞%
Contains more SucroseSucrose +273.9%
~equal in Starch ~0g
~equal in Lactose ~0g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Plum Apricot
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 Plum Apricot Opinion
Calories 46kcal 48kcal Apricot
Protein 0.7g 1.4g Apricot
Fats 0.28g 0.39g Apricot
Vitamin C 9.5mg 10mg Apricot
Net carbs 10.02g 9.12g Plum
Carbs 11.42g 11.12g Plum
Magnesium 7mg 10mg Apricot
Calcium 6mg 13mg Apricot
Potassium 157mg 259mg Apricot
Iron 0.17mg 0.39mg Apricot
Sugar 9.92g 9.24g Apricot
Fiber 1.4g 2g Apricot
Copper 0.057mg 0.078mg Apricot
Zinc 0.1mg 0.2mg Apricot
Phosphorus 16mg 23mg Apricot
Sodium 0mg 1mg Plum
Vitamin A 345IU 1279IU Apricot
Vitamin A 17µg 96µg Apricot
Vitamin E 0.26mg 0.89mg Apricot
Manganese 0.052mg 0.077mg Apricot
Selenium 0µg 0.1µg Apricot
Vitamin B1 0.028mg 0.03mg Apricot
Vitamin B2 0.026mg 0.04mg Apricot
Vitamin B3 0.417mg 0.6mg Apricot
Vitamin B5 0.135mg 0.24mg Apricot
Vitamin B6 0.029mg 0.054mg Apricot
Vitamin K 6.4µg 3.3µg Plum
Folate 5µg 9µg Apricot
Choline 1.9mg 2.8mg Apricot
Saturated Fat 0.017g 0.027g Plum
Monounsaturated Fat 0.134g 0.17g Apricot
Polyunsaturated fat 0.044g 0.077g Apricot
Tryptophan 0.009mg 0.015mg Apricot
Threonine 0.01mg 0.047mg Apricot
Isoleucine 0.014mg 0.041mg Apricot
Leucine 0.015mg 0.077mg Apricot
Lysine 0.016mg 0.097mg Apricot
Methionine 0.008mg 0.006mg Plum
Phenylalanine 0.014mg 0.052mg Apricot
Valine 0.016mg 0.047mg Apricot
Histidine 0.009mg 0.027mg Apricot
Fructose 3.07g 0.94g Plum

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Plum Apricot
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs 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
9%
Plum
15%
Apricot
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
6%
Plum
10%
Apricot

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

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