Where does dark plum come from? An overview of the main producing regions
Dark plum is the fruit of a Prunus species, commonly processed into candied fruit for eating, and the fruit can also be eaten fresh, but in fact many people do not know that dark plum is a traditional Chinese medicine. It is grown over a fairly wide range, but it is mostly cultivated in the southern regions. Yet where the main producing areas are, many people certainly do not know. It is generally believed that regions with scale, high output and suitable growing conditions are the main producing areas. Let's take a look!
1. Main producing areas
Dark plum is mainly grown in areas south of the Yangtze River, chiefly in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan and Guizhou. Among these, Changxing County in Huzhou, Zhejiang, is known as the hometown of dark plum. But Dachuan District in Sichuan is the main place of origin of dark plum. The dark plum produced there is pure in quality with obvious medicinal effects, and its citric acid content reaches 29.4%. It is a major source of income for the local people.
2. Effects and functions
Dark plum is a longevity fruit and stimulates the secretion of hormones that prevent aging. It is generally believed that dark plum can clear oxygen acids from the human body and protect blood health. It has a detoxifying effect, mainly preventing food from rotting in the stomach and protecting health. People with some stomach discomfort are well suited to eating dark plum. It has the effect of strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion; when children do not eat or have indigestion, it can be eaten to stimulate the appetite and promote digestion.
3. Medicinal value
Traditional Chinese medicine considers dark plum a food that promotes body fluid production and quenches thirst, moistens the lungs and relieves cough, and clears heat and quenches thirst. It acts to treat cough, dysentery and diarrhea. It mainly treats disease problems of the lungs, stomach and intestines. Among these problems, it commonly treats ailments in children, generally such issues as persistent cough that will not heal and sore throat caused by colds; eating it can prevent roundworm infection in children.
4. Pairings for eating
Soaking dried dark plum in water and drinking it over a long period has a direct effect. Paired with goji berries and Pu'er and brewed as tea, it has a heat-relieving and detoxifying effect. It can be paired with hawthorn, licorice and dried tangerine peel, boiled and eaten, with honey added, mainly for relieving heat. Dark plum cooked as porridge can promote body fluid production, quench thirst, strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach. Paired with yellow wine and steamed, it has the effect of aiding digestion and regulating qi.
The main producing areas of dark plum are Zhejiang and Sichuan; the dark plum produced in these two places is of higher quality, and its medicinal value exceeds the quality of some other producing areas. Dark plum is a fruit with effective nutritional benefits. It is also a traditional Chinese medicinal material with obvious therapeutic effects.