Umeboshi plums are of Japanese origin, it is a fermented fruit that has the ability to purify and revitalize the body, balance its pH, relieve constipation, among other benefits.
Umeboshi means “dried plum” in Japanese. It is actually a small variety of apricot, the umé, but it is more popularly known as the plum.
Those who follow an oriental or macrobiotic diet include it in their intake to activate the digestive system and increase energy levels in general.
Specifically, it is used to prevent and treat common colds.
How to prepare umeboshi plums?
The fresh fruit is picked and sun-dried on rice mats for several days. Then let these plums ferment with salt and shiso leaves (Perilla frutescens var. spasms) for several months.
What is sought with this fermentation is the increase in concentrations of citric acid, one of its main components that are very beneficial to health.
They are sold in glass jars, in paste to be consumed as a pate or in tablets made with extract.
Umeboshi plums are alkalizing
Umeboshi plums contain twice the protein, minerals and fats of other fruits and are especially rich in minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. This composition explains a series of positive effects, among which stand out
- Combats acidosis. Consuming two umeboshi plums a day helps to neutralize acidity and maintain a proper pH in the blood. The effect is attributed to citric acid, which, on the one hand, facilitates the intestinal absorption of alkaline minerals from the fruit itself, and, on the other hand, breaks down lactic acid and prevents it from accumulating in the blood and tissues.
- They cleanse the body. These plums also stimulate liver function and speed up peristaltic movement of the intestines, two actions that help eliminate toxins and prevent constipation.
- They whet your appetite. They stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and, consequently, the appetite.
- They increase energy. The elimination of metabolic wastes that acidify the body leads to a pleasant feeling of well-being and an increase in vitality.
- They regulate cholesterol. By improving liver function, it reduces LDL cholesterol in the blood.
- They fight bad breath. They reduce the oral and intestinal fermentations that cause the problem.
- They prevent premature aging. They provide antioxidants that prevent cell deterioration.
- They are used to treat dizziness and vomiting. Both nausea in pregnant women and unexplained dizziness can be prevented by eating an umeboshi plum with every meal.
How to eat umeboshi plums
Umeboshi plums can be eaten on an empty stomach or during meals, chewed slowly or crumbled and mixed with rice or vegetables.
If you are physically tired, you can drink bancha or kukicha tea by steeping an umeboshi plum for a few minutes.
Its salty and very intense flavor does not please everyone, as an option it can be consumed in the form of extract in tablets. With 3 to 5 capsules a day it will be enough to obtain its benefits, always dissolved in the mouth for better results.
