Considered by many as the ultimate superfood, umeboshi plums are a food native to Japan, China, and Korea. The unique fruit has gained more widespread popularity in recent years, however, as its incredible health-promoting properties have been revealed. Umeboshi possesses a wide range of nutritional sources and offers an array of health benefits.
Umeboshi is one of the few foods that completely embody the concept of using food as medicine. This unique food source is considered a salty, sour plum from Japan; however, it actually belongs to the apricot family. In any case, the fruit is highly alkaline and contains a number of nutrients.
The fruit’s variations are just as varied as its uses. The fruit can be eaten as a whole plum or boiled and drank in tea; however, many individuals find this option a bit intense for the palate. The plum can also be made into vinegar and used in soups, stews, and casseroles or splashed on veggies, meat, or salad. The fruit is also often made into a paste that is used in sauces or as a condiment. In any of its forms, umeboshi offers the same health benefits as well as an interesting flavor.
The health benefits of umeboshi are many. The unique fruit actually possesses natural antibiotics, making it an effective treatment for a variety of conditions. Likewise, with its alkalizing effect, it is considered the Japanese form of “Alka-Seltzer.”
With these properties and others, the fruit is capable of treating a wide variety of conditions. The fruit is often used to treat fatigue, vomiting, general nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, infection, runny nose, and liver toxicity. Eaten after alcohol consumption, umeboshi can even be used to prevent or treat hangovers. The fruit also helps eliminate toxins from the body, naturally boosting health.
It can be said that “an umeboshi plum a day keeps the doctor away,” as the fruit is such a beneficial dietary addition. Serving as an antibiotic and delivering a number of nutritional benefits, umeboshi is one of the most nutritionally potent fruits available today.
