The Benefits and Effects of Wampee: A Stomach-Tonic Digestive Aid That Cuts Through Greasiness

Wampee is the fruit of a small evergreen tree of the genus Clausena in the family Rutaceae, produced mainly in the southern regions of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Hainan. When ripe, the rind turns golden yellow and the flesh is sweet-and-sour and juicy. It is a highly representative seasonal fruit of the Lingnan area, and locals hold its dietary-nourishing value in high regard.

From the perspective of traditional dietary nourishment, wampee's most notable benefit lies in strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion. The flesh contains organic acids, vitamins and other nutrients; eating a few after a meal helps stimulate the appetite, cut through greasiness and relieve the discomfort of food stagnation and abdominal bloating. In addition, folk custom also has it that the seeds and leaves of wampee are boiled in water and drunk to regulate and smooth the flow of qi, a dietary-nourishing habit long passed down in southern households.

Wampee can be broadly divided into two major types: sweet wampee and sour wampee. Sweet wampee has lightly sweet flesh and is suited to being eaten fresh; sour wampee has a deeper flavour and is mostly used for processing, made into candied fruit, jam, salted wampee or infused drinks, which both extends its keeping time and brings this sweet-and-sour flavour to the table in more forms.

There are also some points to note when eating wampee. Its flesh is on the sour side, so it should not be eaten in large amounts at one time; those with sensitive stomachs or on an empty stomach should especially limit how much they eat, to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort; salted or sugar-preserved processed products are also high in salt and sugar and should likewise be eaten in moderation. It should be noted that wampee falls within the scope of everyday dietary nourishment, and one should seek medical attention promptly when unwell; it cannot be treated as a means of curing disease.