If you aren’t a ‘Type 4’ on the Bristol stool chart, then your digestion may need some work! One key food to incorporate for better digestion is Ontario plums.
Ontario plums assist with our digestion as they contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre plus naturally occurring sorbitol which acts as a mild laxative by drawing water into the intestines to ease bowel movements. Let’s break all of that down below:
Soluble Fibre: Soluble fibre dissolved in water to form a gel-like substance. It improved digestion by adding bilk to a watery stool to help manage looser stools while also softening firm stool to ease elimination. It also helps to feed gut bacteria by acting as a prebiotic, serving as food for your large intestine to support a healthy microbiome.
Soluble fibre also brings additional health benefits. It helps to lower cholesterol by binding to cholesterol and bile acids in your gut to help clear them out and reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad cholesterol’. It assists with stabilizing blood sugar by slowing down how fast your body digests and absorbs carbohydrates and prevents sharp glucose spikes after meals. This fibre can also aid in weight management as it helps us feel full for longer.
Insoluble Fibre: Insoluble fibre adds bulk to your stool and helps waste move quickly through your digestive tract. It helps to prevent constipation by drawing water into your stool, making it easier to pass. It also helps to promote gut regularity as it speeds up the time it takes for food to pass through your system.
Sorbitol: Sorbitol is a water-soluble sugar alcohol. It naturally is found in many tenderfruits. It is about 60% as sweet as table sugar with few calories. It has a water-binding osmotic effect which triggers a natural laxative action.
Enjoy improvement in your digestion by enjoying these delicious ‘dessert snack’ recipes that are naturally sweetened with Ontario plum!
Recipes:
Carrot Cake Plum Muffins (40 minutes) 12 Servings
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/2 cup Oat Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- ½ Tsp Sea Salt
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Banana (mashed)
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Eggs
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- 2 Carrots (grated)
- 4 Ontario Plums (sliced)
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
2. Add the dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and chia seeds) in a mixing bowl and mix with a fork.
3. Mix the wet ingredients (banana, oil, eggs, maple syrup and grated carrot) in a separate mixing bowl.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and stir until well mixed.
4. Line a muffin tin with muffin papers. Ladle the mix into the tins. Top with the sliced plums. Bake for 30 minutes or until baked through. Enjoy!
Plum Chia Jam (15 Minutes) 5 Servings
- 5 Ontario Plums (chopped small)
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- Over medium heat in a saucepan, add the chopped plums, fresh lemon juice
and maple syrup, bring to the boil and turn the heat down slightly allowing
plums to simmer, reduce and soften for approximately 10-15 minutes. - Add the chia seeds, stir through for a minute to combine and then turn the heat
off. Allow the plum jam to thicken by cooling down at room temperature, take a
spatula and draw a line down the middle of the saucepan, it should come
together slowly when cool. Store in a sterilized airtight jar in the fridge and use
as needed.
Maple Ginger Plum ‘Sundae’ (10 Minutes) 2 Servings
- 3 Ontario Plums (chopped small)
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1Tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Cup Granola
- 1.5 Cups Greek Yogurt
- Combine plums, lemon juice, maple syrup, ginger, and cinnamon together in a
bowl. Serve topping over yogurt with granola.
Air Fryer Plum Crumble (20 Minutes) 3 Servings
- 4 Ontario Plums (chopped small)
- 1 Tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 Tbsp Quick Oats
- 3 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
- 3 Tbsp Applesauce
- 1/2 Cups Greek Yogurt
1.Preheat the air fryer at 350ºF (175ºC).
2. Place the plums into ramekins.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, vanilla, and half of the maple syrup
and spread evenly over the fruit.
4. In a small bowl, mix the flour, oats, flax seed and the remaining syrup together.
5. Mix in the applesauce until the mixture is crumbly.
6. Spread the crumbles evenly over the plum mixture. Cook in the air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the plums are soft.
7. Top with yogurt (optional) and enjoy!