The Benefits and Effects of Sour Plum Drink: A Traditional Summer Beverage That Promotes Saliva and Quenches Thirst

Sour plum drink is a traditional Chinese heat-relieving beverage, usually made by simmering smoked plum (dark plum) as the main ingredient together with hawthorn, licorice, dried tangerine peel, osmanthus and rock sugar. The finished drink has a dark, glossy color and a sweet-and-sour taste. It was once sold on the streets in summer, and today it is also a summer beverage that many families make at home and keep on hand.

In terms of effects, the one most often mentioned for sour plum drink is that it promotes saliva and quenches thirst. Smoked plum contains organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, which can stimulate saliva secretion. After drinking it, the mouth produces saliva and the feeling of dry mouth is relieved. Served chilled, it is even better suited for rehydration in hot summer weather.

It also has the characteristic of stimulating the appetite and aiding digestion. In traditional dietary experience, the hawthorn in the recipe is often used to help digestion. After eating greasy food or a heavy meal of fish and meat, a cup of sour plum drink with a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste can boost appetite and relieve the greasy feeling after a meal.

It should be noted that sour plum drink is an everyday beverage, not a medicine, and cannot replace any treatment. It usually contains a fair amount of sugar, so people with high blood sugar or those who need to control their sugar intake should limit how much they drink; people with excess stomach acid or sensitive stomachs should also avoid drinking large amounts on an empty stomach, and should be especially careful to drink chilled versions in moderation. When making it at home, the amount of rock sugar can be reduced, preserving the flavor while making it healthier.