Chinese plum, also known as Prunus mume fruit and Japanese apricot, is a popular fruit. And I don't think many of you are aware that it is also a Chinese herbal medicine, which is called Wu Mei in Pinyin. As a matter of fact, it has long been there and deserves a position in the world of TCM thanks to its amazing medicinal properties. Just like any other seasonal fruits, mume fruit is no exception. In order to help better preserve it, people come up with many ways, of which drying and then sealing is the most popular and simplest method. Since then many people like to use it to make cold drink or keep them handy as snack.

Medicinally it refers to the nearly ripe fruits of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc. This is a species in the family Rosaceae. Other common names include ume, meizi, maesil, mume, umeboshi, Mume fruit, Black Plum, Fructus Mume, Ume Plum Fruit, and more. In China it is primarily produced in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Yunnan. The fruits are collected in summer when they are nearly ripe. And then they are baked at a low temp and covered tightly until they are wrinkled and black. Medicinally it is used pit-removed, raw or carbonized by stir-frying.

Prunus mume tree is a member in the Armeniaca part of the genus Prunus. It is such a distinct tree species because it is between apricot and the plum trees. However, botanically it is considered much closer to the apricot rather than the plum even though it is named after it. This is a small deciduous tree that can be up to 10 meters high, with pale gray bark, slender twigs, alternate leaves, elliptic ovate blade, white or pink aromatic flowers, and nearly spherical fruits. Its flowers (meihua) are known to the west as "plum blossom" or "flowering plum". This flower is favored by many people and given special meanings in poems because of its early blossom and defying snow.

Chinese Plum

CHINESE {LUM HEALTH BENEFITS 
As one of popular fruits, it can be found everywhere in China, in particular in south of the Yangtze River. Each of them is about the size of a lychee, with a slight yellow color. Since it tastes sweet and mixes with a sour tinge, it is often served as a good appetizer. But there is a lot more to come yet. Here are its top 7 health benefits.

1) Protecting the stomach.
It sterilizes and prevents the food from corruption in the stomach;

2) Relieving constipation.
The malic acid directs proper amount of water to the large intestine and help a bowel movement;

3) Whetting appetite.
Long-term loss of appetite is the result of dysfunction of some organs, like stomach and large intestine. In addition, illness can cause a loss of appetite as well. But you need to eat more to help a quick recovery. So, eating a plum a day can make a difference to your appetite problems;

3) Prevent getting older.
Aging stands in the way of a true longevity. Eating plum stimulates the secretion of parotid gland hormone, which can prevent aging;

4) Purifying blood.
Modern people love refined foods, such as refined grains, refined white bread, refined white flour pasta, refined sugar, chemical seasonings and meats. Unfortunately these foods may cause a dramatic increase of buildup of toxins in blood. As time goes by, the deterioration of blood circulation will lead to the occurrence of acid. Eating a plum a day can help clean the blood to normalize the blood flow, and get rid of excess acid;

5) Dealing with pregnancy nausea and vomiting.
This is quite normal that many pregnant women desire sour food instead of greasy foods and sweets. This is because when women get pregnant their blood acidity becomes a little higher, followed by reduced energy and the stomach and liver function. When pregnant women's body is acidic, something bad, like loose teeth and volatile moods, will just come. And the plum seems to be helpful in this regard;

6) Easing the symptoms of hangovers.
It can bring relief to bad breath and hangover. Sucking down a few extra drinks is quite common when celebrating the festive season. But the hangover is absolutely unpleasant when you wake up the following day. If you feel splitting headache, Prunus mume can be a great comfort.

7) Increasing energy.
When blood is purified, the metabolism will be thus enhanced and the body's energy restored naturally. Citric acid helps in the absorption of vitamins and enzymes, let alone prevents disease and reduces fatigue.