Persimmon: all the properties and health benefits

The scientific name of the persimmon is Diospyros kaki, which means “fruit of the divine fire”, which reveals the appreciation held for it in the East.

When cutting the persimmon, its shape resembles a heart, perhaps as an advertisement for its health benefits. Its juicy and sweet pulp and its soft and creamy texture perhaps they will make us wonder why we had not tried it before.

Their peculiarity begins with the tree that produces them, a relative of ebony and a hardwood also appreciated in cabinetmaking. The pyramidal crown, which rounds over time, dresses its autumn leaves very early, turning them red and orange before shedding them.

When the tree is bare of leaves you can see the persimmons with their bright red color: it is a sight worthy of admiration.

This delicate rarity, like other botanical delights, is native to China, particularly the coast, where it was cultivated some 3,000 years ago.

That is why it is not surprising that over time it spread to Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and above all to Japanwhere the name persimmon comes from.

In the mid-19th century it reached North America and shortly after the Mediterranean basin.

There are more than a thousand varieties of persimmons, although only a handful of them are grown commercially. And they are divided into two types: astringent and non-astringent.

This marked characteristic of its flavor is due to its richness in tannins, some bitter substances that cause roughness on the palate and which disappear as the fruit ripens.

persimmon properties

This fruit provides carbohydrates, mainly fructose and glucose, which make it a nutritious and energetic food.

Its soluble fibers, such as pectin and mucilage, regulate intestinal transit and relieve gastritis, but when the persimmons are green they are astringent.

Rich in antioxidants: provitamin A or beta-carotene, vitamin C and, to a lesser extent, vitamin B6, K and vitamin E, It is advisable in case of stress or in sight problems.

As for minerals, the manganese stands out above the others (150 grams cover 11% of daily needs), followed by the copper, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

persimmon benefits

Persimmon is indicated for anyone in good health, and also for children, athletes and people who do intense physical work.

It has often been said that it is not suitable for weight control diets because it provides 70 calories per 100 grams, or around 120, for a medium-sized piece.

But when compared to most fruits, whose calories range between 40 and 60, there isn’t that much of a difference. Diabetics should check with their doctor if they can enjoy it or not.

take care of the view

Contains zeaxanthina carotenoid (like beta-carotene) that especially protects the eyes and prevents macular Degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness associated with aging.

Enjoying them reports other benefits derived from their phytonutrients: among them, catechins, betulinic acid, anthocyanidins, lycopene and lutein.

One of its most studied effects is the antioxidant, which prevents tissue degeneration by protecting cells from free radicals and other substances.

Persimmon in the kitchen

Lovers of experimentation will find an attractive ingredient in the persimmon.

The most common is to take it as a fruit. When it is ripe, at the beginning of November, it is enough to split it horizontally and eat it with a spoon. AND

In the bright red, once ripe, the pulp close to the skin is gelatinous and sweet as if it were a marmalade, but not cloying.

If it’s a persimmon Sharon, An Israeli variety, the flavor is milder, lighter and less sweet, and its texture is fresh and crunchy.

It can be eaten in bites skin and all. From then on, the most normal thing is mix it with cheeses, yogurts and nuts, or turn it into compote or jam.

surprising contrasts

The bright red persimmon can be used directly, as if it had been turned into jam, for a bittersweet contrast.

Even caramelize it with an onion or leek and a little ginger or black pepper to enrich it even more.

In creams it can be added as a decoration when plating them.

It can also be included in quiches, vegetable pizzas, vegetable pies, but always in moderate quantities.

To mix it with pasta, you should look for partners at your level: mushrooms, intense cheeses, nuts…

With cereals, couscous, basmati or thai rice, bulgur or quinoa are more exotic with a crunchy sautéed persimmon.

Purchase and conservation

They can be bought if they are well priced and frozen, as they keep perfectly.

They can also be dried, as is done in Japan. So they turn brown, but are still succulent and sweet.

Do you know the persimmons from the Xúquer riverbank?

In the 1950s, persimmon was planted on the edge of a plot of Carlet, in Valencia, on the high bank of the Xúquer River (Júcar). In the 1960s, the first plot in the neighboring town of L’Alcúdia was grafted with the astringent variety Rojo Brillante. Today this crop has replaced the orange and is the only one protected in Spain by a designation of origin.

The DO admits two ways of marketing this persimmon: the classical, which is the traditional soft pulp when ripe and astringent when green; and the persimmonwhich is treated to remove astringency, which can be eaten before ripening and whose crunchy texture resembles that of sharon.