If you saw pictures of pluot we were sure you would think they were plums. You can be right but also wrong because this fruit is a hybrid of plum and apricot. So what’s interesting about it? Join us to find out in this article!
What is Pluot?
Pluot is a spotted fruit that looks like a plum and also has a name similar to a plum. This makes it easy to misunderstand that this is a plum, but it is not. Pluot is a hybrid fruit that was developed in the late 80’s with 75% plums and 25% apricots. They are plum-like with smooth skin, similar in shape and texture, with small spots on the skin.
The Story of Pluot
Plumcots date back to the late 19th century and are the brainchild of Luther Burbank, a famous gardener living in Santa Rosa, California.
Burbank is a friend of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, who developed over 800 new varieties during their career. And they are the same people who bred the origin of pluot with 80% plums and 20% apricots. The name Plumcots was named in his honor. When the talented plant breeder died in 1926, plumcots’ journey was halted.
During the following decades, other plant breeders continued to experiment with this plant to make it easier to grow. One of them is Floyd Zaiger, owner of Zaiger Genetics. Zaiger released a new plum as well as apricot hybrid in the 1980s, according to SF Gate. This time the fruit is 75% plum and 25% apricot. And it’s officially called the pluot.
Types of Pluot
There are many types of pluots on the market today and although they are not exactly 3/4 plums or 1/4 apricots, they can be said to be mostly pluots.
Some of the most common types of pluot are:
- Dapple Dandy
- Santa Rosa
- King of flavors
- Emerald Beaut
- Heart taste
- Cinnamon red
- Royal flavor
- Black nectar
How to Choose Pluot?
Since pluot contains most of the elements of plums, you can choose pluot just as you would with a plum. Look for fruit that is fragrant, firm but spotless to the touch. The trick is to choose the ones that look the best out of each, as they will be the sweetest. Stay away from the plums that make you feel particularly stiff, so they won’t ripen well.
Pluot vs Plums
Pluots look a lot like a plum but taste much sweeter thanks to the apricot gene transmission. Another difference is that there are small spots on its shell.
Nutrition Pluot
You probably already know that, like plums, pluot contains high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. They not only help boost your immunity but also help you stay in a regular state.
The following nutritional information is for two pluots or about 5 ounces of fruit.
- Calories: 80
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Carbohydrate: 19g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 15g
- Protein: 1g
Calories of Pluot
The average pluot has about 80 calories and 1 gram of protein. Don’t use too many calories because of its charm!
Preserving Pluot
Pluots sold on the counter at supermarkets or fruit stalls can stay fresh for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge it will last for up to a week.
Health Benefits of Pluot
Although there are no studies on the health benefits of the pluot. However, we know that plums have been studied for their effects.
Reduces Cell Damage
The vitamin C present in pluot may provide certain health benefits. Vitamin C is an important water-soluble vitamin, responsible for repairing cells, enhancing immunity, and slowing down the aging process.
Prunes contain phytonutrients, especially phenols, that have antioxidant effects. These types of antioxidants can help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, and aging.
Improve Heart Health
Prunes contain soluble fiber, as well as legumes. This type of fiber is known to protect the heart and help reduce bad cholesterol. Limited studies of prunes have shown that plum consumption is associated with improved cognitive function, bone health parameters, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Reduces Diabetes Risk
Results from three cohort studies demonstrated that high consumption of certain fruits was significantly associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Pluot was not included in the study, but plums and apricots were included and identified as low blood sugar fruits. Study authors indicate that replacing fruit juice with whole plums is effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Treatment of Constipation
The most widely advertised benefit of prunes is their potential as a treatment for constipation. However, a pluot is not consumed as dried fruit. So it’s not clear whether consuming pluot could provide the same benefit.
Allergy Pluot
There are no reports of a specific pluot allergy as this fruit has not had a lot of research. However, some people are allergic to prunes or apricots. In particular, people with a birch pollen allergy may also react to raw plums or raw apricots due to a protein in the fruit similar to birch pollen. So if you are allergic to these ingredients don’t rush to overuse pluot at first!
Symptoms of a birch pollen allergy usually appear 5 to 15 minutes after eating and include itching and inflammation in the mouth and throat. More serious reactions include hives, stomach pain, and vomiting, and can be life-threatening.
The allergens involved in this reaction do not exist during cooking. So people with an allergy to apricots and plums can tolerate cooked versions of this fruit.
There are some cases of plum or apricot allergy that are not related to birch pollen and can be more serious. These people should not eat cooked plum or prune juice and should also avoid eating plums altogether.
Ways You Can Enjoy with Pluot
When fresh, the pluot will be eaten just like any other tropical fruit, just clean it, then take a bite and enjoy! However, this beautiful fruit is extremely versatile and you can process it into a variety of dishes such as jams, sorbets, pies, crumbs. This fruit is also a great addition to salads. Here we will send you some special fruit recipes.
Sundaes Pluot Ice Cream
Pluot-based plugot will help you lift the vanilla ice cream to a great spot. How to make this dish is quite simple. You just need to cook pluot with a little sugar. To the top is a crunchy almond sprinkled ice cream that makes this dish a great summer snack.
To cook the plugot sauce you need to peel the pluot and cut it into longitudinal pieces of the pluot, removing the seeds. Then you put the pot on the stove for the pluot cut with sugar and a cup of water to boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir well with a spoon until the sugar is dissolved, it becomes a thick paste but still has the transparent pluot. You let it cool, then use a spoon to scoop the sauce and water it over your ice cream. Now enjoy this wonderful dish!
Pluot Clafoutis
To prepare the pluot clafoutis, first heat the oven to 190 ° C. Cut the pluot in half vertically and place the left side of the pluot down on the baking sheet. Then set aside.
Now beat the egg and coconut palm sugar together until it’s thick. Now add the melted coconut milk, vanilla, and margarine and beat until blended. Gradually whip this mixture with cornstarch until smooth.
Pour the dough over the plums and bake for about 20 minutes until lightly golden browned and set in the middle. Let the plum jam cool for 5-10 minutes before serving with yogurt or flan!
Pluot Smoothie
Pluot is a fruit that can be easily combined with other fruits to make a great fruit smoothie. Or even if you just use pluot alone to make a smoothie, it’s great. The fruits you can combine to make a smoothie include lemon, avocado, banana, grape and kiwi, melon, papaya, cucumber, watermelon, apple, … Depending on which fruit you like and Whichever rate you like more, create a wonderful pluot for yourself!
Make Cakes with Pluot
The thinly sliced glutinous cakes mixed with sugar and cinnamon make for an addictive treat for anyone. Check out the different baking recipes to use for your baking!
Cold Drying Pluot
We are sure that if you once enjoyed the taste of this dish you will never forget it. These products are available at supermarkets or grocery stores. Or you can make it yourself if you are a cook.
There is a lot of interesting information that you have learned about pluot from this article, right? Don’t forget to leave a comment to add any additional information you want!