Plum and prune: traditional uses, kitchen ideas and cautions

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Plum season is short and generous, and the fruit does more than fill a crumble. Fresh plums and their dried form, prunes, have a long place in home herbalism: for sluggish mornings, for busy active days, and even in a mashed-pulp face mask. Here is which part to use, in what form, and what should make you pause.

What it is credited with

• Sluggish transit — plums and prunes are rich in fibre, and naturopathy has always used them as the gentle morning food for a digestive system that needs encouraging.
• Digestive spring-clean — herbal tradition credits soaked prunes and their soaking water with a cleansing, softening effect on the gut.
• Water balance — with their high water content, fresh plums have an old reputation as a mildly diuretic, hydrating fruit.
• Tiredness and active days — prunes are a classic in the cyclist’s and hiker’s pocket, valued in naturopathy as quick, concentrated fruit energy.
• Bone strength — prunes carry a long-standing reputation in naturopathy as a fruit to keep in the diet for bone density, alongside calcium-rich foods.
• Antioxidant intake — plums contain polyphenols and carotenoids, and are recommended by naturopaths as part of a varied diet for that reason.
• Skin — the astringent character of plum pulp gives it a cosmetic reputation for tightening open pores and leaving a glow.

How to use it

Fresh, the simplest way

• Eat them ripe and at room temperature — straight from the fridge the flavour is flat.
• Rinse but do not peel: the skin carries the tang and most of the fibre.
• Best at the end of a meal or as a mid-afternoon snack rather than late at night.

Prunes, the morning routine

• Soak a few prunes in a glass of water overnight.
• Eat them at breakfast and drink the soaking water with them.
• Traditionally done as a short course of a week or two, then paused, rather than every day indefinitely.

Juice and compote

• Juice: blend stoned ripe plums with a little water, drink fresh, unsweetened.
• Compote: simmer stoned plums with a splash of water over low heat until they collapse, about fifteen to twenty minutes; add vanilla rather than more sugar.
• Both keep two to three days in the fridge in a closed jar.

In the kitchen

• Jams, clafoutis, crumbles and fruit salads.
• Pan-warmed plums with vanilla sugar and sliced almonds, served warm or cold with cottage cheese.
• Prune roast: slice the roast, wedge a piece of cheddar between each slice, surround with prunes and bake.
• Appetiser skewers: smoked ham, a cube of cantaloupe, half a prune.
• Prunes also belong in meat roasts and the classic lamb tajine.

The beauty use

• Mash peeled plum flesh, spread on a clean face, leave about twenty minutes, rinse with lukewarm water.
• For an astringent toner: dab plum juice on with a cotton ball, then rinse off.
• Do a patch test on the inner forearm first, and never apply near the eyes.

Cautions

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: soak a few prunes in a glass of water overnight and eat them with their water at breakfast — that is the whole of the traditional plum routine.

Are prunes as good as fresh plums?

Prunes are simply dried plums, usually of the ‘d’Ente’ variety, and home herbalism uses them in much the same way. Drying concentrates everything, including the sugars, so they taste far sweeter. Portions should be smaller than with fresh fruit for that reason.

How long should I keep up a prune routine?

Tradition treats it as a short course rather than a habit: a week or two, then a pause. Overdoing it tends to bring cramps and loose stools. If nothing changes, that is a conversation for a healthcare professional rather than a bigger bowl of prunes.

When are plums ready to pick?

From midsummer to early autumn depending on the variety. The fruit should give slightly under the thumb and part easily from the stalk. Plums do not sweeten after picking, so leave them on the tree until they are genuinely ripe.

Can I really put plum on my face?

Plum pulp has an astringent character and a cosmetic reputation for tightening open pores and brightening the complexion. Mash the peeled flesh, leave it on clean skin for about twenty minutes, then rinse. Patch test on the forearm first and keep it away from the eyes.

How do I keep fresh plums for longer?

They are fragile and best eaten within a day or two. The vegetable drawer of the fridge buys a few extra days. For a big harvest, stone and freeze them in halves, or dry them into prunes and store in an airtight jar away from light.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.