What everyday Aussie fruit has been crowned the latest 'superfood'?

It’s hard not to roll your eyes when a new superfood is heralded. Invariably it’s something hideously expensive and hard to get hold of – from the upper slopes of the Andes and such. But get excited, because the latest hero is affordable, delicious and available in your backyard.

Presenting the Aussie Queen Garnet Plum. Yep, that’s right. A plum.

According to new reports, the humble Aussie plum has very high levels of anthocyanin – a pigment that can protect us against disease. The fruit can help with weight loss and it’s a great antioxidant, reducing stress and preventing disease. And ever since this wonder-plum was paraded around on the ABC’s Landline earlier this month, it’s had its praises sung around the world.

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Great. But is there proof?

There is! The plum's weight-loss potential was revealed by research done by the University of Southern Queensland. The researchers fed rats a diet high in fats and carbohydrates until they were obese and then added plum juice to their diet and made them exercise half an hour a day. Within eight weeks, the rats had shed most of their excess weight.

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The researchers' findings aren't without critics, but the team is in the process of gaining further funding for human trials. In the meantime, we'll be making stacks of plum crumble.

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