Laxatives: Plums
Plums stimulate intestinal function. Prunes are dried plums that also work as laxative. Other laxative foods are: eggplant, chard and whole grain nuts.

Plums Health Benefits

• Delicious, fleshy, succulent plums are low in calories and contain no saturated fats; but contain numerous health promoting compounds, minerals and vitamins.
•  Plums are rich in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.
• Rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins  help the body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They also provide about 5% RDA levels of vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for many clotting factors function in the blood, as well as in bone metabolism and helps reduce Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

• Fresh plums, especially yellow Mirabelle type, are very good source of vitamin A and beta carotene. Vitamin A is essential for vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Eating fruits rich in vitamin A known to help in protectection from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• The fruit is also good in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in significant amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in the aging and various disease process. Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions.
• Certain health benefit in plums, provide dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin are known to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system and work as laxative help in constipation conditions.
• Fresh plums are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consuming  foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infections , {strengthen the immune system} fight inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals that the body do not need.