Danica Collins
This is a FACT.
The digestive health benefit of umeboshi – pickled plums – has been used in Asian culture for hundreds of years.
The ume plum is closely related to the apricot and is part of the Prunus mume family. Though there is only one species of ume there are over 300 varieties.
When compared to standard plums, umes tend to be smaller and not as sweet. Ume plums are sometimes used to make wine or vinegar. Usually they are pickled, then dried and cured for several months. The finished product resembles a skinny prune. The sea salt used in their creation may not make them a good choice for those on a low-sodium diet.
Umeboshi is made from pickling the plum (ume) with sea salt (bo) to leave (shi).
They are a low calorie food with trace amounts of potassium, iron, fat, fiber, protein and vitamin C. In the eight-century, Samurai warriors used umes to combat battle fatigue and purify food and water. Umeboshi is still a staple food in many Japanese households. It is typically eaten at breakfast along with several cups of green tea.
The alkaline fruit has been shown to help balance the acid in your body – acid imbalance is a common problem among vegetarians who consume high levels of grains and nuts.
Restoring the acid-alkaline balance is easily accomplished by adding very small quantities of umeboshi to the macrobiotic diet. Umeboshi plum benefits have a multitude of health benefits, including acting as a proven detoxifier and digestive tonic for many conditions.
Umeboshi Helps Ease…
- Gallbladder attacks resulting from food intolerance
- Stomach upset, as well as morning sickness and motion sickness
- Hangover by more efficiently metabolizing alcohol
- Food poisoning, diarrhea and constipation
- Fatigue by fighting the effects of acid produced during physical activity
- Bowel discomfort caused by intestinal worms, fungi and bad gut bacteria
- Food intolerance, which often leads to other digestive conditions
When your body has difficulty digesting food, microscopic food particles become stuck in your gastrointestinal tract. These food particles can result in gallstones, irritable bowel conditions and general sluggishness.
Umeboshi eaten regularly helps to flush these particles from your system. This prevents gallbladder flare-ups. It also prevents gallstones from forming. Gallstones create blockages and cause intense pain and inflammation.
Doctors are often quick to remove the gallbladder. It is the organ responsible for bile storage which takes excess stress off the liver. Without it, overall fat metabolism and the distribution of nutrients throughout the body is affected and the liver is forced to work harder to compensate. Umeboshi plum benefits help detoxify your gallbladder and keep it at peak health. All surgery involves risk! Avoiding preventable operations is just good sense.
Natural Umeboshi Plum Benefits
- Antioxidant – fights the negative effects of oxidation
- Antibiotic – inhibits the growth of bacteria
- Antiseptic – prevents infection
- Anti-diarrheal – prevents and/or stops all forms of diarrhea
- Anthelmintic – expels intestinal worms
- Anti-typhoid – fights fever
New York University discovered in 1890 that the citric and malic acids found in umeboshi were effective in the prevention of tuberculosis – a bacterial infection that starts in the lungs and can quickly spread throughout the body.
Dried plum extract has even higher concentrations of antioxidants and is often used as a tonic with honey and tea. The cooked down extract has a citric acid content that is approximately 25 times greater than that of lemon juice, but without the salt content found in the pickled variety.
Umeboshi can be added to many dishes or used as a dressing over cooked foods. The sweet and sour flavor especially compliments beef and chicken. It can also be used as a garnish to prevent spoilage during the summer months or as a dressing over salad. Mix it with sake (rice wine) and a small amount of soy sauce for a unique flavor, and to balance good intestinal bacteria.
The versatile health benefits of umeboshi plum benefits are well-documented in the world of holistic and alternative medicine and traditional science is beginning to take notice.
Source: Fact or Myth: Can Umeboshi Reverse a Gallbladder Attack?
