October 11, 2002

UME

Latin Name: Prunus mume

Alternate Names: Ume, Japanese Plum, Umeboshi, King Of The Alkaline

Family: ROSACEAE

Parts Used: Fruit.

Properties: Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Aperient, Hepato-tonic.

Internal Uses: Anemia, Arthritis, Cholera, Colds, Constipation, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Fatigue, Flu, Food Poisoning, Frigidity, Halitosis, Headache, Impotence, Indigestion, Lactic Acid, Morning Sickness, Motion Sickness, Nausea, Radiation Exposure, Staphylococcus, Typhoid, Ulcers

Internal Applications: Eat whole plums, Paste, Concentrate, Tea, Tablets, Granules.

Ume helps a wide range of digestive disorders by stimulating hydrochloric acid production. It also helps reduce lactic acid buildup.

Topical Uses: Yeast Infection

Topical Applications: Douche for yeast infections.

Culinary uses: Ume plums are collected unripe and either pickled with salt and/or shiso leaves, or simply fermented. Used to make Ume vinegar and wine. Used as a condiment to season salad dressings, vegetables, marinades, sushi and rice.

Energetics: Sour, Salty, Cool.

Chemical Constituents: Picric acid, catechuic acid, citric acid, iron, potassium.

Contraindications: Regarded as safe, even during pregnancy.

Comments: The name Umeboshi refers to the salted plum. In that instance, the energetic is cool. Recorded use of Ume goes back 4000 years.

-- Cheryl in KS (klingonbunny@planetkc.com), October 11, 2002

Answers

-- Cheryl in KS (klingonbunny@planetkc.com), October 11, 2002.