When Do Prunes Ripen and Hit the Market? A Detailed Guide to Delicious Recipes and Whether to Peel Them

Prunes, also known as European plums, are shaped like apricot plums. Because they are rich in nutrients, containing large amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber, they have become the best fruit for modern health, and are therefore praised as the “miracle fruit” and “functional fruit.” So when do prunes ripen and hit the market? How do you make them delicious? Do they need to be peeled?

I. When Do Prunes Ripen and Hit the Market?

Prunes generally hit the market in mid-August, though the timing varies from place to place and is also related to the local climate and environment.

For Xinjiang prunes, August to September is generally the main harvest period. Prunes have high fresh-keeping requirements; they are freshest when stored at 0 to 5 degrees Celsius, and are very suitable for air transport.

II. How Do You Make Prunes Delicious?

1. Eaten fresh and raw

Prunes come from California in the United States and are also called California plums. Prunes are rich in vitamin A and cellulose, and also contain minerals such as iron and potassium, yet contain no fat or cholesterol. Fresh prunes can be eaten on an empty stomach; they can help increase appetite. They contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, and have a unique effect especially for the elderly in reducing cholesterol.

2. Dried prunes

As for dried prunes, this sun-dried fruit is generally eaten directly in our daily lives, because the iron contained in dried prunes is needed for children's growth and development, so it is very good for children to eat some dried prunes in moderation.

3. Prune juice

Prune juice mainly has a good relieving effect on non-organic constipation, such as constipation caused by diet and lifestyle habits, constipation caused by the intestines being compressed by the uterus during pregnancy, constipation caused by heat from infant formula, and constipation caused by physical weakness. After short-term symptoms are relieved, you can choose to drink it as needed.

III. How Many Prunes Is Appropriate to Eat at One Time?

1. Prunes

Prunes are high in both sugar and plant acids and have a good nourishing effect, but their impact on the stomach and intestines and on blood oxygen is also not small. Only eating them in moderation can achieve the greatest nourishing effect. It is recommended that a normal person eat no more than 5 prunes at a time, 2 to 3 times a day, while diabetics had best eat 1 to 2 at a time, 2 times a day.

2. Prune juice

Many women use prune juice to lose weight, but this juice should not be drunk too much either. Prune juice contains a certain amount of preservatives and also contains a lot of plant acids; drinking too much causes serious damage to the stomach and intestines. Generally about 2 bottles is enough; it is recommended to drink it in separate portions, 1 cup at a time.

The skin of prunes can be eaten. This way of eating prunes is also relatively simple; you can eat them as long as you wash them, but you need to pay attention to the amount.

IV. Do Prunes Need to Be Peeled?

Fresh prunes can be eaten after being directly cleaned.

1. The skin of prunes can be eaten. The skin of prunes naturally contains a layer of fruit wax, which has a good fresh-keeping effect and generally does not need artificial waxing. Moreover, the skin of prunes is not very hard and does not carry other strange flavors, and like many fruits, it is not only edible but also rich in nutrients.

2. After being preserved, prunes become a slightly sweet-and-sour, tasty snack. Petty bourgeois types generally favor this kind of snack, with its exquisite packaging and distinctive taste. Snack shops that specialize in selling snacks generally carry them, and the business is very brisk.

3. Among all kinds of snacks, prunes have a very good taste, and are neither too sweet nor sour. For the petty bourgeois, this is a relatively mainstream variety, and almost everyone loves to eat them. Many girls, when reading a book, magazine or watching TV, like to keep a can within easy reach of their fingers, occasionally taking one and putting it in their mouth, sucking their fingers, then chewing gently; it is especially flavorful.