Ume plums (Japanese apricot) have been well known in Asia for over 3000 years to have medicinal properties for all manner of ailments plus being a useful dietary supplement
Various forms of the plum product are widely available throughout Taiwan, Japan and China as a traditional remedy and general tonic
In Japan a pickled plum paste along with rice was the staple diet of Samurai on the battlefield sustaining their strength & energy in harsh conditions. Golden Best Ume Plum Concentrate is carefully processed in Taiwan from selected fruit grown organically in the mountains for this purpose. Fruit is picked green then washed before pulping to extract the juice which is then slowly simmered over many days to result in a very pure highly concentrated product which is then dried to a powder for packaging as capsules for convenience and ease of use. No additives, salt or chemicals are used at any point of the manufacturing process nor is a pickling process used. National Formosa University (Taiwan) has been commissioned and is currently conducting clinical trials on the therapeutic benefits of Golden Best ume plum concentrate.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Ume plums are considered the king of alkaline foods, highly respected in Japan for their remarkable medicinal properties in balancing the body and helping with indigestion. Even sucking on an ume plum pit can settle a queasy stomach.
Because they are high in citric acid, which has a powerful, paradoxical alkalinizing effect on the body, ume plums are the Far Eastern equivalent of both aspirin and apple, a potent hangover remedy and one of the best preventive medicines available. An ume a day keeps the doctor away.
A 1000 year old Japanese medical text discussed the use of ume plums to prevent fatigue, purify water, rid the body of toxins and cure specific diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and food poisoning.
During the samurai period in Japan, which lasted through most of the Middle Ages, this fermented plum was the soldier’s most important field ration. It was used to flavor foods such as rice and vegetables. Its high acidity made it an excellent water and food purifier as well as an effective antidote for battle fatigue.
In China the dried plums are use medicinally to reduce fevers, treat nausea and control coughs.
The modern is high in refined sugars and red meat, both of which severely acidify the body, producing inflammation – the gateway to many serious ailments. An overly acidic diet is at the core of many symptoms such as fatigue, digestive imbalances, emotional imbalances and anxiety. Adding foods to our daily diet that alkalinize the blood, urine and saliva can help restore balance and health again.
Ume plums and extract are such super foods. They have been consumed in Japan, China and Korea for centuries for this medicinal purpose.
Ume plum has traditionally been used to treat:
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Fatigue
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Alcohol (hang-overs)
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Vomiting
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General nausea (including pregnancy and motion sickness)
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Diarrhea and dysentery
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Infection
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Runny nose
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Liver toxicity
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Oxidation of cells
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 enjoyed with green tea, as the opposing flavors juxtapose each other nicely. Taking ume plum before breakfast helps stimulate digestion for the day.
They are also high in iron (important for hemoglobin production, stress reduction and immune function), thiamin (important for healthy nervous system, metabolism and digestion), and riboflavin (helpful for the formation of antibodies, healthy metabolism and cortisol production).
Try some ume plum extract the morning after a party or after a lengthy flight to combat jet lag, nausea and exhaustion.
Japanese ume plum has been used in Japanese and Chinese medicine. Although the current understanding of the active components is limited, it is suspected that Japanese ume plum contains antioxidants that protect cells from damage and may be able to reduce a person’s chances of getting cancer. The inhibition of carcinogen formation is another factor that make the plums beneficial to health, according to the “Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention.”
Heart Health
Japanese ume plum juice concentrate was found to help improve the ability of blood flow through the body. Bainiku-ekisu, the fruit juice concentrate of Japanese ume plum was found to promote a healthy environment for the formation of smooth muscle cells in the heart in a study published in 2002 in “Life Sciences.” It was also found to protect heart cells from the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species. Reactive oxygen species are a natural byproduct of cellular metabolism that are highly reactive in the body and can be damaging to cells.
Human Influenza A
Japanese ume plum extract has also been found to protect against the flu, according to a study published in the “Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin” in 2005. However, it was only found to be protective against getting the flu before being exposed to the virus. It did not have an effect on reduction of flu-like symptoms after it was already contracted. The researchers suspect that the efficacy of the plum extract has to do with its lectin-like qualities, which allow it to bind to substances in the blood, preventing it from infecting its host.
Gastrointestinal
Japanese ume plum has also been observed to reduce infection and inflammation in cases of people with chronic atrophic gastritis caused by helicobactor pylori infection. Helicobactor pylori is a bacterium that causes the inner lining of the stomach to become chronically inflamed, and causes ulcers. A study published in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in July 2010 found that less helicobactor pylori were present in the stomach through tissue biopsy in a sample of 68 adults.
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Besides their dramatic flavour, Japanese pickled plums have remarkable medicinal qualities. Their powerful acidity has a paradoxical alkalinizing effect on the body, neutralizing fatigue, stimulating the digestion, and promoting the elimination of toxins. This is the Far Eastern equivalent to both aspirin and apple; not only is it a potent hangover remedy for mornings after; more than that, an umeboshi a day is regarded as one of the best preventive medicines available. Like many of Japan’s ancient medicinal foods, the origin of the pickled plum is obscure. One theory traces it to China, where a dried smoked plum, or ubai, was discovered in a tomb built over two thousand years ago. The ubai is one of China’s oldest medicines and is still used for a variety of medical purposes such as counteracting nausea, reducing fevers, and controlling coughs. The oldest Japanese record of pickled plums being used as a medicine is in a medical text written about one thousand years ago. Umeboshi were used to prevent fatigue, purify water, rid the body of toxins, and cure specific diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, and food poisoning. Slowly, extensive folklore developed about umeboshi’s ability to prevent and cure certain diseases. During Japan’s furious samurai period, which lasted through most of the Middle Ages, the pickled plum was the soldier’s most important field ration. It was used to flavor foods such as rice and vegetables, and its high acidity made it an excellent water and food purifier, as well as an effective antidote for battle fatigue. Almost 200 years ago, the Japanese began experimenting with ways to concentrate the healing powers of umeboshi. Finally, a dark liquid called bainiku ekisu (plum extract) was developed. To make the extract, sour green ume plums are slowly cooked down to obtain their most active ingredients in a highly concentrated form. The resulting dark, sticky, thick liquid is usually mixed with hot water and honey and is drunk as a tonic. Dried plum extract is also formed into pills, called meitan. In both plum extract and meitan, the plums’ citric acid content is concentrated tenfold, which is equivalent to about twenty-five times the content found in lemon juice. Many natural healers around the world feel that these concentrated forms of Japanese plums are among the world’s most effective natural medicines. Moreover, they do not have the high salt content of pickled plums ****** Technically it’s an apricot, but everyone calls it a plum, or Ume. When picked in salt and purple shiso leaves, it becomes umeboshi. Concentrates of the immature plum are available as Plum Balls, Plum Pearls, Plum Extract (Bainiku Ekisu) and Plum Granules. Ume has an amazing ability to balance and brace the system. The old existing Chinese medical texts lists Prunus Mume as an important medicine. It has extensive documentation(some ancient, some recent) showing its effectiveness in cleanly evacuating radioactive strontium 90 from the body, in relieving coughs and nausea, reducing fevers, as an astringent, and as an antibiotic against dysentery, supportive staphylococcus, and more. Ume is highly effective in ameliorating morning sickness, hypersensitivity, motion sickness, herpes, jet lag, stiffness, hangover, stress, headaches, insomnia, fatigue and just about anything else you can name. Ume’s amazing……..A small dose of plum concentrate is said to neutralize the acids created from eating a sugar laden piece of chocolate cake. This is substantiated by the experience of countless people practicing macrobiotics. Here’s why it works. This oriental plum has at least double the amounts of protein, minerals, fat and ash as other fruits, are high in calcium, iron and acidity. 100 Grams Edible portion Calcium Iron Acidity Strawberry 14 mg 17mg 15mg Ume Plum 65 mg 130 mg 90.4mg Juice from immature Ume, when concentrated, has 53.6 percent citric acid and 19.2 percent iron. This concentration of citric acid and minerals make Ume a strongly medicinal food. Today many people have a difficult time absorbing minerals like calcium and iron. Citric acid combines readily with the mineral content of foods present in the digestive tract and creates an easy-to-absorb mineral salt. Citric acid breaks down the lactic acids in our blood that cause fatigue and stress. This explains why athletes instinctively chew on lemons which are high in citric acid. But compare lemons to Ume 100 Grams Edible Portion Citric Acid Lemon 2g Umeboshi 5g Plum concentrate 53g The blood of a healthy person stays at the slightly alkaline level of pH 7.3, which will not host infections and viruses. When the blood tends toward acidity, symptoms such as irritability or hypersensitivity occur. The blood of those with headaches or dizziness, stiff shoulders, insomnia, or those who have stomach cancer or diabetes is acidic. Ume and umeboshi help the system adjust to slightly alkaline pH level. If the stomach is weak, or if the secretion of stomach fluids is retarded through improper diet and lifestyle, germs find their way into the small intestine. This can be the take-off site for illness. Ume products contain a natural agent called perilhidehyde that, when ingested, helps clear the intestinal trace of undesirable bacteria. Citric acid, also found in Ume, enhances the function of the liver and gall bladder. A common food craving during pregnancy is pickles. The craving may be a sign of a lack in the woman’s blood of adequate calcium for the developing foetus. The sour flavour draws calcium from her teeth and bones to make it available to the baby. This explains the old adage, “Every pregnancy costs a tooth.” The citric acid of Ume heightens calcium retention from our goods. In addition, Ume is a superior source of readily assailable calcium. Many women enjoy Ume (particularly the extract form) as a remedy for morning sickness and as an agent to aid in the absorption of calcium. For those times when you slip from a healthful diet and lifestyle, when you’re travelling when your resistance is low or when you feel “off,” you might allow Ume to assist. Ume and umeboshi products are available at quality natural food stores in the following forms: UMEBOSHI are the whole plums pickled for over a year with salt and shiso leaves. They are delicious in salad dressing, rubbed onto corn on the cob, and cooked into vegetables, grains and even soup in place of salt or shoyu. You’ll find many specific uses for it in macrobiotic cook books. UME VINEGAR is technically not vinegar but rather the liquid that rises to the surface of fermenting umeboshi. It smells like fresh cherries and tastes like vinegar; however, it is salty. I use Ume vinegar as a shoyu substitute when I want a refreshing light flavour as opposed to the heartier shoyu flavour. UME PASTE is the pureed flesh of the pickled plum (umeboshi) without its seed. It is convenient to use in cooking. PLUM CONCENTRATE (bainiku ekisu), available in pure concentrate form, has the texture and colour of tar. It’s made from the juice of the immature Ume. It, as well as the concentrate products described below, is not a pickled product and contains no added salt. Dip out a pea-sized portion with the tip of a chopstick, place it on your tongue and you’ll pucker and grimace like never before. It tastes like the essence of 50 sour lemons. Some folks enjoy the concentrate straight. Most mix it with tea. Ume has extensive documentation showing its effectiveness in relieving coughs and nausea, reducing fevers as an astringent and as an antibiotic. It’s not just about digestion, though. A recent study found that extracts of umeboshi had both tumour-inhibiting and anti-inflammatory effects. They noted particularly good results for melanomas with the extract working on reactions in the body that inhibit the development and progression of tumours (Tada KI, 2011 ). Perhaps next time you slip, slop, slap, you might try some ume concentrate.