Umeboshi Plums Health Benefits

A diet high in acidic foods, as is prevalent in North America with so many meals consisting of refined sugars and red meat, is at the core of many symptoms such as fatigue, digestive imbalances, emotional imbalances, and anxiety. In fact, an overly acidic diet can cause inflammation, which is the gateway to many other ailments. Luckily, with a few dietary changes, it is possible to create balance once again. One way to combat this over-acidic tendency is to include foods with alkalinizing effects on the blood, urine, and saliva, such as umeboshi plums, as part of a healthy diet.

Umeboshi Plums Health Benefits

Umeboshi plums have been used for centuries in Asia, specifically Japan, China, and Korea. The literal Japanese translation is “dried” plums, although some like to categorize them as being more in the apricot family. They are an amazing alkalinizing food. This is because they contain citric acid. They are created via a lactic fermentation process using Japanese plums, shiso leaves, and sea salt. The shiso leaves are have many medicinal health benefits themselves, and they contribute to the antimicrobial and infection fighting components of the umeboshi plums. It is important to check that these three things are the only ingredients because mass production and recent demand of this fruit has caused some companies to use dyes and other preservatives to keep costs down. Of course, organic plums would be ideal!

Some conditions that umeboshi plums can help with are:

• Fatigue

• Alcohol poisoning (hang-overs)

• Vomiting

• General nausea (including pregnancy, motion, etc.)

• Diarrhea; Dysentery

• Infection

• Runny nose

• Liver toxicity

• Oxidation of cells

Their salty and sour properties make them an excellent accompaniment to rice dishes. The Japanese sometimes put one of these dried plums in the centre of rice dishes, thought by some to recreate the Japanese flag, but also to combat the bacterial growth in rice known as Bacillus cereus. One popular Japanese dish is called onigiri, which is sticky rice wrapped in either nori (seaweed) or on its own with the umeboshi plum in the centre. This can often be found in Korean and Japanese supermarkets.

Traditionally, these plums are said to have been used by the samurai to keep up their stamina, stave off fatigue, and help heal between battles. They were a staple in their daily diets. In more recent times, they are often enjoyed frequently with green tea, as the opposing flavours juxtapose each other favourably. They can also be used as a salt substitute when cooking, or to just add a nice flavour when preparing any grains or vegetables. It is a great idea to add one into a dish being cooked to combat blandness. Eating one on its own before breakfast, first thing in the morning, is a good idea to stimulate digestion for the day. Or, if one prefers, it can be added right into the tea.

More reasons to include them in one’s diet are that they are very high in iron (important for hemoglobin production, stress reduction, and immune function), thiamin (important for healthy nervous system, metabolism, and digestion), and riboflavin (formation of antibodies, healthy metabolism, and cortisol production).

Umeboshi plums, which have also been called salty plums, are very high in sodium, so although one a day can be quite beneficial for many cell functions, it is not recommended to finish a jar in one sitting!

One final tip is have them on hand the morning after a party or after arriving somewhere via lengthy travel to avoid the jet lag, nausea and exhaustion that can accompany these events—your digestive tract will be grateful!

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umeboshi

Paul Pitchford’s Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition: Third Edition, 1993

Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., CCN. Digestive Wellness: Third Edition, 2004

Elson M. Haas, MD. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. 21^st Century Edition, 2006

AnneMarie Colbin. Food and Healing. 1996.