Black Plum Juice (Wume) 烏梅湯

Quench Your Thirst And Cool Down This Summer

Want to cool down during the hot summer season? Black plum juice is a must have for all ages to enjoy. Not only is it healthy but the drink is delicious and oh so refreshing!

Here’s a simple recipe to make traditional Black Plum (Wu Mei) Juice

Ingredients:

Wu Mei 烏梅 (Fructus Mume) 100g.

Shan Zha 山楂 (Fructus Crataegi) 110g.

Gan Cao 甘草 (Chinese Licorice) 5g.

Gui Hua 桂花 (Osmanthus Fragrans) 5g.

Rock Sugar 冰糖

Instructions:

1. Wash the Wu Mei, Shan Zha, and Gan Cao. Soak the 3 ingredients in clean water for 30 minutes to extract the herbal essence.

2. Add 2000ml of water in a casserole or pot. Add the pre-soaked herbs with the water into the pot. Bring to boil and reduce heat simmer for 30 minutes. Add the osmanthus at this time.

3. Add rock sugar and adjust according to taste preference. Close the lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Open the lid and stir the pot. You can add more water if too much water has evaporated during the cooking process or if you prefer a milder taste. Transfer the juice into a container for it to slowly cool down.

4. Suggested consumption is at 36°C which is the approximate body temperature.

5. You can also store the juice in the refrigerator for later consumption and enjoy a nice glass of cold black plum juice.

Functions:

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Black Plum (Wu Mei) Juice can soothe the liver, clear liver fire, and nourish the liver. It can strengthen the spleen and stomach and benefit digestion. It is recommended for people with exuberant liver fire who gets angry easily.

Contraindications and Helpful Tips:

Black plum (Wu Mei) is considered sour and astringent. Therefore, it is not recommended for people with the common cold with feverish sensation, cough with phlegm, chest fullness, dysentery, or beginning stages of enteritis.

It is best to consume around 36°C which helps induce sweating. The sweating will help the body cool off.

DIY:

Whenever we make something ourselves and in the comforts of our home, we know what we put into our body. In other words, the cleanliness, safety, and quality of the ingredients are within our control. It’s much healthier this way.

Try this simple recipe yourself and enjoy it with the family. This is the perfect season to drink black plum juice. Quench your thirst and cool off with black plum juice during the hot summer days. Cheers!