Common plum vs. Nectarine — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Nectarines are richer in minerals, vitamins B1 and B3. On the other hand, plums have two times more vitamin C than nectarines and higher carbs. Nectarines 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 nectarine have a lot of similarities. These juicy fruits are packed with vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals. On the other hand, plums and nectarines differ in nutrient content. This article will discuss the general and nutritional differences and the health impacts of raw nectarines (1) and common plums (2).

Taste, smell, appearance

The two fruits are from the same family (Rosaceae), so they have much in common. They differ, however, in terms of scent, color, and appearance.

Plums (Prunus domestica) are known for their red-purplish color and smooth, oval-sized exterior. Plums are native to China. They usually taste sweet or tangy.

The color of nectarines (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) is red, yellow, or white. They are larger than plums, their skin is not fuzzy. This is because the recessive allele responsible for the soft skin is expressed in nectarines (3). The smell of nectarine is sweet, juicy, and peachy.

Nutrition

Vitamins

Vitamins are nutrients the human body cannot produce. Vitamins are abundant in fruits such as plums and nectarines.

Plums are high in vitamins C, B6, and K, although nectarines have more B1, B3, B5, and E.

Plums offer nearly twice as much vitamin C as nectarines, with 9.5mg per 100g compared to 5.4mg in nectarines.

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.

Common plum

4

:

5

Nectarine

Contains more Vitamin C +75.9%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +16%

Contains more Vitamin K +190.9%

Contains more Vitamin E +196.2%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +21.4%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +169.8%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +37%

Equal in Vitamin A - 332

Equal in Vitamin B2 - 0.027

Equal in Folate - 5

Common plum

Nectarine

Contains more Vitamin C +75.9%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +16%

Contains more Vitamin K +190.9%

Contains more Vitamin E +196.2%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +21.4%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +169.8%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +37%

Equal in Vitamin A - 332

Equal in Vitamin B2 - 0.027

Equal in Folate - 5

Minerals

Nectarine is the absolute winner in this section.

Nectarine 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.

Common plum

0

:

7

Nectarine

Contains more Iron +64.7%

Contains more Magnesium +28.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +62.5%

Contains more Potassium +28%

Contains more Zinc +70%

Contains more Copper +50.9%

Equal in Calcium - 6

Equal in Manganese - 0.054

Common plum

Nectarine

Contains more Iron +64.7%

Contains more Magnesium +28.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +62.5%

Contains more Potassium +28%

Contains more Zinc +70%

Contains more Copper +50.9%

Equal in Calcium - 6

Equal in Manganese - 0.054

Macronutrients

Proteins

Fruits are generally not considered protein sources, but they contain some amounts of proteins. Nectarines provide more protein than plums. They contain 1.1g of it per 100g of fruit, compared to 0.7g in plums.

Carbs

Large quantities of these chemicals can be found in all fruits. Plums have more carbs than nectarines. Plums have 11.4g of carbohydrates per 100g, while nectarines have 10.5g. Furthermore, nectarines have fewer sugars than plums. They contain less fructose but more starch.

Fiber

Nectarines are high in both forms of fiber, but especially soluble fibers, which help keep healthy blood glucose and cholesterol levels. The fiber level of nectarines is higher than that of plums. They have 1.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams of fruit, compared with 1.4 grams of plums.

Net carbs

Net carbs are the carbohydrates in food used to synthesize energy. You should subtract the amount of fiber from the total carbs in the food to get at this amount.

Plums provide 11.4 grams of carbs with 1.4 grams of fiber. On the other hand, nectarines provide 10.5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.7 grams of fiber per serving. Plums have 10 grams of net carbs, whereas nectarines have 8.8 grams. Finally, nectarines have a lower net carb content.

Fats

Lipids are not found in plums or nectarines in considerable quantities. Plums have 0.28 grams of fat per 100 grams of fruit, whereas nectarines have 0.32 grams. The two fruits are equal in cholesterol content: they do not contain a significant amount of it.

Calories

Plums and nectarines have almost similar amounts of calories. However, the plum has 46 calories per 100g of fruit, compared to 44 for nectarines.

Health impact

Cardiovascular health

Regularly using plums and nectarines may certainly boost cardiovascular health. They both produce a notable amount of chemicals that aid in maintaining a healthy heart.

Consumption of plums is linked with lower blood pressure (4) and lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the bloodstream (5). These effects are shown due to the high content of antioxidants in plums. As we know, antioxidants, especially polyphenols, maintain heart health (6).

Nectarines may help reduce the risk of anemia. This severe condition is a lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin (7). If nectarine eating is paired with the consumption of iron-rich food, it reduces anemia risks. This is due to the high content of vitamin C in nectarines, converting iron into a more absorbable form (8).

Antioxidants

Toxic free radicals of oxygen can cause oxidative stress and kill all cells. Thus, antioxidants help to neutralize them (9). As a result, oxidative stress may become a cause of the cardiovascular disease (10), obesity (11), and Alzheimer’s disease. Plums and nectarines are both high in antioxidants. These two fruits play a similar role in the organism's antioxidant defense.

Plums are especially rich in polyphenols, which defend against heart disease and diabetes (12). Research shows that plums provide nearly two times more polyphenols than nectarines and peaches (13).

Flavonoids and anthocyanins are nectarine antioxidants that contribute to the fruit's flavor, scent, and appearance (14). Flavonoids help prevent age-related brain damage, whereas anthocyanins help reduce the risk of inflammation and heart disease (15).

Diabetes

These two fruits are good choices for people with diabetes. Plums help to regulate sugar levels by producing special chemicals. Nectarines are involved in maintaining blood glucose levels with the antioxidants they contain.

Consuming plums boosts adiponectin levels: this hormone plays an essential role in blood sugar management (16). Plum consumption is also linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (17).

Nectarines' four major phenolic groups are catechins, anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, and quercetins. These phenolic compounds are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity properties (18).

References

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169914/nutrients
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169949/nutrients
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3940905/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21409897/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1850578/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820045/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6697587/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7460366/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684512/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28230726/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4307252/
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26992121/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12166993/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3211018/
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26761031/
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058731/
17. https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5001
18. Peaches, plums, nectarines give obesity, diabetes slim chance