The Efficacy and Functions of Sour Plum Decoction
When the weather gets hot, I feel like having some Chinese plum juice (Suanmei Tang). Since Suanmei Tang contains several kinds of Chinese herbal medicines, I would like to know what are its functions and benefits?
The main ingredients of sour plum soup include black plums, hawthorn, licorice, and others. It generally has functions and benefits such as relieving summer heat, lowering body temperature, promoting digestion, stimulating saliva production to relieve thirst, and antioxidant effects.
During hot summer months, drinking sour plum soup can clear internal heat and relieve heatstroke, helping to lower body temperature and alleviate symptoms of heat exhaustion. The organic acids in sour plum soup can stimulate gastric juice secretion to aid digestion, offering certain supportive benefits for individuals experiencing poor appetite or indigestion.
Sour plum soup can stimulate saliva and quench thirst; its acidic components promote secretion of the salivary and gastric glands, helping to improve symptoms such as thirst and dry throat. The antioxidants in sour plum soup can effectively combat free radical damage, protecting liver health. Additionally, it may help lower blood pressure and improve respiratory function, providing some relief for coughing and shortness of breath.
Components in black plums may help regulate blood sugar levels, although the exact effects vary between individuals. Diabetic patients should consume it in moderation under a doctor's guidance. Although sour plum soup has many benefits, excessive consumption is not recommended, particularly for individuals with excessive stomach acid or peptic ulcers.