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Persimmon fruit is a golden yellow, round or oval, flavorful, smooth
textured delicacy of the Far East-Asian origin. Its sweet, delicious
flesh is packed with much health promoting nutrients such as vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants vital for optimum health.
Botanically, persimmons belong to the family of Ebenaceae, in the genus:
Diospyros. This delicate fruit is native to China. From China, it spread
to the Korean peninsula and Japan a very long time ago and later was
introduced to California during the middle of the 19th century.
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Persimmons are either multi-trunked or single-stemmed deciduous trees,
which may grow up to 25 ft in height. They grow best in areas where
winters are moderate and summers relatively mild.
Persimmon trees classified broadly into two general categories: those
that bear "astringent fruit" (while unripe) and those that bear
"non-astringent" fruits. An astringent cultivar, which is commonly
cultivated in Japan known as “Hachiya,” is high in tannins and must be
allowed to ripen completely on the tree itself until it attains
jelly-soft consistency before accepted to be fit for consumption. A
non-astringent persimmon, on the other hand, contains less tannin and
can be eaten while it is crispy, as in apples. Astringency can be
removed by treating the fruit with carbon dioxide or alcohol.
During each season, persimmon tree bears many fruits that vary by
cultivar from spherical to heart to flatten or squash-like in shape.
They also greatly vary in size from as little as a few ounces to more
than a pound. The color of the fruit ranges from light yellow-orange to
dark orange-red. The entire fruit is edible except for the seed and
calyx.
Astringent varieties: Eureka, Hachiya, Saijo, Tamopan, Tanenashi,
Triumph, etc.
Non-astringent varieties: Fuyu (Fuyugaki), Gosho/Giant Fuyu/O'Gosho,
Imoto, Izu, Jiro, Maekawajiro, Okugosho, Suruga, etc.
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Health benefits of persimmon fruit
Persimmon fruit is moderately high in calories (provides 70 calories/100
g) but very low in fats. Its smooth textured flesh is a very good source
of dietary fiber. 100 g of fresh fruit holds 3.6 g or 9.5% of
recommended daily intake of soluble and insoluble fiber.
Persimmons contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants
such as catechins and gallocatechin in addition to having an important
anti-tumor compound, betulinic acid. Catechins found to have
anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents
bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
Some of other antioxidant compounds found abundantly in this fruit are
vitamin-A, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin.
Together, these compounds work as protective scavengers against
oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play
a role in aging and various disease processes.
Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed
into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide
antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It, thus, helps
prevent "Age-related macular related macular disease"(ARMD) in the
elderly.
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Persimmons are also a very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful
antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide
80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the
body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful,
pro-inflammatory free radicals.
It is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid,
pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin, etc. These vitamins act as co-factors
for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
Fresh and dry Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals
like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI), and
phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide
dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a
co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and
superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this
enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper also required for the production
of red blood cells.
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