Are you Plum Crazy?!

I am!  I love plums, particularly the European plums.  European plums are the most common, they have a purple color and are small.  October is the last month for these sweet juicy treats so take advantage of them.  Check out Frugal For Life's seasonal food chart for more fruits and vegies going out of season this month http://frugalforlife.blogspot.com/2009/03/random-linkage-seasonal-food-chart.html.

The plum is filled with vitamin C, ribovlavin, B vitamins and potassium.  Plums only have 36 calories - hallelujah!  A sweet treat that is healthy and doesn't pack on the pounds!  Make sure you select plums that are slightly soft to the touch and bright in color.  Avoid the bruised, discolored and seeping ones.  Be picky because after plums are picked, they don't ripen like most fruits.

There are numerous other types of plums available: American (usually local), Damson (smaller, more tart and popular in making jams and preserves), Japanese (dark red and NEVER dried), Ornamental (popular for jelly and jams).

Personally, I love to chow down a couple as a snack.  I love the mix of the sweet pulp and tart skin.  I find that plums make a great addition to school and work lunches.  They are small enough to grab and eat at the desk and for little ones during lunchtime.  Although they are very juicy, they aren't messy.
Most grocery stores have great deals on plums.  Its the last month of availability to have them fresh and in season so producers are wanting to sell off as much as possible.  Organic plums are hard to find but are necessary because you are eating the skin.  Plums do not fall on the Environmental Working Group's factsheet under "the dirty dozen" nor "the clean 15" http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/.  But Hubpages lists plums as #18 on the EWG's worst highest pesticide load http://robin.hubpages.com/hub/organic.  Therefore, I would opt for organic to be safe.

Current prices on Organic Plums:  Whole Foods - 2.49 per lb; Trader Joes - 69 cents each; Hoover's Market - 3.99 per lb; Earth Fare - 2.99 per lb; Chamberlain's - they have them, but none at the moment are in stock.

Thanks Reader's Digest "Foods That Harm Foods That Heal" for the varieties and nutrient information about plums.  This is an awesome book and has great information for everyone seeking information about healing foods and foods to avoid.  And I found it on Amazon.com as low as 2.79 brand new with 3.99 shipping!