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New season 2008: Spanish plums

New season 2008: Spanish plums

Spanish plums are in season from mid-May until October

They are at their best in July and early August, before the English plum season begins

Plums taste great in sweet puddings and crumbles, and match very well with meat dishes such as duck – they’re also a fantastic kids’ snack

Product: Spanish plums

Season: The season for plums from Spain began in mid-May and will continue until October

Origin: Badajoz - the southern province of the Extremadura region in the west of Spain - has grown into Europe’s largest plum producing region thanks to its mild Mediterranean climate

Varieties: Plums from Extremadura include Red Beaut, Pioneer, Black Beaut, Black Amber, Black Star, Prime Time, Fortune and Villa Rosa, which offer a range of flavours, textures and flesh colours. The seasons for different varieties will overlap and there may be several varieties on the market at any one time

Choosing a plum: Look for plums that are firm to the touch but yield to pressure when gently squeezed

How to eat: Plums make a delicious snack for kids’ lunchboxes or the office; they also taste fantastic in sweet and savoury dishes, including desserts like pies and crumbles, or as an accompaniment to meats

Availability: All major UK supermarkets stock Spanish plums during the season

Plums: health and nutrition

Nutrition*

Plums are:

· High in fibre

· An excellent source of vitamin A and C

· High in potassium and carotene

· Low in fat and calories

*Source: The Composition of Foods, sixth summary edition, by McCance and Widdowson

Health benefits

· Plums contain neutralizing substances called phenols, which can help prevent oxygen damage to body cells

· Plums also help with the absorption of iron into the body, thanks to their high content of vitamin C

· They also have high antioxidant ability and offer a high defence against free radicals

· Anthocyanins are found in plums and this has been linked to reducing the risk of cancer

· The levels of vitamin C found in plums helps to create healthy tissue within the body and deter illness

· The vitamin C found in plums also helps to neutralize free radicals that can otherwise contribute to the development of diseases such as cancer

For more information, images or recipes, featuring plums please contact:

Dominic Weaver, RED Communications Ltd, on 01480 465953. Email: dominic@redcomm.co.uk

Janine Gilson, Foods from Spain, on 0207 467 2360. Email: jgilson@mcx.es

Or visit: www.foodsfromspain.co.uk

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