Japan’s sourest fruity treat - Umeboshi
The basic traditional shira-boshi plums pickled in salt contain 20 percent sodium. Any lower than that, and a white mold starts to grow on the outside of the fruit. But in the case of umeboshi flavored with honey, shiso (perilla), and bonito flakes, the salt content is much lower, generally between 7 and 17 percent. Citric acid, along with lending umeboshi a mouth-watering sourness that sharpens the appetite, improves circulation and boosts the immune system, reducing the chances of coming down with a cold or catching a nasty bout of the flu. It has also been shown to limit the activity of the pylori bacterium, a leading cause of gastroenteritis, stomach ulcers
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