Umeboshi means «dried plum» in Japanese. The ume It is actually a variety of apricot native to Japan, although it is popularly considered a plum. It is highly appreciated in oriental diets for its flavor and properties, and in the macrobiotic diet it is used to activate the digestive system, improve colds and provide energy to the body.

What are umeboshi plums?

Umeboshi plums are a fermented food. Fresh plum fruits are collected ume and dried in the sun on rice mats for several days.

They are then fermented with salt and shiso leaves (Perilla frutescens var. crisp) for several months, which increases citric acid, one of its main components beneficial to health.

They are sold whole in glass jars, in umeboshi paste to consume as a pate or in pills made with extract.

Umeboshi plums are alkalizing

Umeboshi plums They contain twice as much protein, minerals and fats as other fruits and are especially rich in minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. This composition explains a series of positive effects. These are the top 8.

1. Fight acidosis. Consume two umeboshi plums a day helps neutralize acidity and maintain an adequate pH in the blood. The effect is attributed to citric acid, which on the one hand facilitates the intestinal absorption of the alkaline minerals of the fruit itself and, on the other, breaks down lactic acid and prevents it from accumulating in the blood and tissues.
2. They purify the body. These plums also stimulate the functioning of the liver and accelerate the peristaltic movement of the intestines, two actions that help eliminate toxins and avoid constipation.
3. They whet the appetite. They stimulate the secretion of gastric juices and, consequently, appetite.
4. They increase energy. The elimination of metabolic waste that acidifies the body leads to a pleasant feeling of well-being and an increase in vitality.
5. They regulate cholesterol. By improving liver function, LDL cholesterol in the blood decreases.
6. They fight bad breath. They reduce oral and intestinal fermentations that cause the problem.
7. They prevent premature aging. They provide antioxidants that prevent cellular deterioration.
8. 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 each meal.

How to take umeboshi

Umeboshi plums are taken directly on an empty stomach or during meals, chewing them slowly or crumbling them and mixing them with rice or vegetables. For occasional fatigue, it is ideal to drink a bancha or kukicha tea in which an umeboshi has been soaked for a few minutes.

It is true that its salty and very intense flavor does not please everyone. In that case you can take the extract in pills. Just take between 3 and 5 daily, always dissolved in the mouth. If ingested directly, the effects are diminished.