What is Umeboshi?
Umeboshi is a sun-dried and salted fruit with red shiso (perilla) leaves which work to burn fat, fight fatigue, and detox your body. It acts as a natural flu medicine and an amazing superfood!
Also known as the Samurai’s Red Bull, Umeboshi was first brought to Japan around 1500 years ago as a medicine and was used as a healthy tonic, food preservative, antibacterial aid, and energy enhancer for Samurai warriors during the war periods.
An actual superfood: Umeboshi is packed with nutritional value
What does Umeboshi contain?
Umeboshi plums contain trace amounts of vitamin C, iron, potassium, calcium and probiotics. However, umeboshi is well known for its organic acids, especially its high citric acid content. Umeboshi contains more citric acid than lemons and other food products, giving it a tangy flavour and a reddish-pink colour.
Why Umeboshi is a Natural Flu Medicine
The natural organic acids in Umeboshi have antibacterial properties that strengthen your body’s resistance to cough, cold, flu, fever and sore throat by destroying the bad bacteria before an infection can develop. Umeboshi simultaneously improves appetite and helps digestion, making it SUPER beneficial to have Umeboshi when sick. Traditionally, in Japan, rice porridge and Umeboshi are the typical food for those who are sick.
Health benefits of Umeboshi
Making it such a good natural flu medicine, Umeboshi is filled with many natural health benefits such as;
- Powerful alkaliser
- Fatigue and muscle pain fighter – lactic acid is a waste product that causes fatigue and muscle soreness. Citric acid helps to break down lactic acid as well as prevent the production of lactic acid. Citric acid is also an intermediary in the energy-releasing pathway called the citric acid cycle. The citric acid cycle produces energy; the more citric acid, the faster the cycle, meaning it allows your body to produce energy faster
- Body fat burner by increasing metabolism
- Probiotics that promote gut health and overall well being
- Stomach acid activator
- Mineral absorption assistant
- Intestinal function regulator
- polyphenols – act as antioxidants, protecting cells from oxidative stress and supporting heart health.
Selecting the right Umeboshi
The real, traditional Umeboshi are naturally sun-dried; however, much of the Umeboshi you can buy today are soaked in a solution that contains A LOT of MSG and sugar – NASTIES! These Umeboshi will NOT be any good for you or your health so make sure to check the label of the Umeboshi in case you pick up the wrong ones! If in doubt, the Umeboshi you can buy from health food stores are usually reliable and don’t have nasties in them!
Umeboshi under the sun
Unfortunately, in most cases today, being able to identify whether Umeboshi is sun-dried requires you to be able to read Japanese. But ALWAYS double-check the labelling of the Umeboshi in case there is more information about whether it is sun-dried or soaked in a nasty solution…
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