Persimmon Health Benefits, Nutritional Value and Uses

What is Persimmon?

Persimmons are red-brown or orange fruits that grow on trees like plums and look like a small, rather flat tomato capped by a calyx. The two varieties are stringent and non-astringent, the latter being pleasingly sweet. To avoid bitterness, the paler varieties should be eaten only when very ripe, usually peeled. Its sweet, delicious flesh is packed with several health promoting nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants vital for optimum health.

Health Benefits of Persimmon

Reduces Water Retention: Being diuretic in nature, persimmon can put a stop to water retention as well as increase the amount of urine flowing through the kidneys. High in potassium, it ensures that no significant mineral is lost during urination.
Keeps Liver Healthy: Persimmon is rich in antioxidants, which scavenge the harmful oxygen-derived free radicals in our body. It also reduces the effect of toxic materials and prevents cell damage. This eventually results in a detoxified body and a healthy liver.

Helps In Improving Production Of Red Blood Cells: Copper, present in this fruit, helps in proper iron absorption. This, in turn, helps in the production of red blood cells.
Improves Vision: Persimmon contains vitamin A in significant amounts. And, it is an established fact that vitamin A has the potential to improve vision.
Strengthens Immunity: Being a good source of Vitamin C, the fruit, when used regularly in your balanced diet, can help in strengthening the immunity levels. Thus, it acts as a shield against common cold, flu, as well as various lung infections, including asthma.
Offers Plenty of Energy: Persimmons contain elements of the B complex of vitamins like pyridoxine, folic acid, and thiamin, which are all essential parts of various enzymatic processes and metabolic functions throughout the body, so keeping high levels maintained means that your body’s systems will function efficiently and effectively, thereby increasing your overall metabolism. This can boost energy levels, increase muscle tone, improve digestion, and boost the immune system.

Uses of Persimmon

Persimmons can be consumed fresh, dried, or cooked. Raw fruits can be cut into quarters or eaten wholesome like an apple. Their texture ranges from a firm to mushy and is very sweet.
Dried fruits can be enjoyed as snacks or used in desserts. They widely employed to make traditional Korean spicy recipe, sujeonggwa, while a matured, fermented fruit is used to make persimmon vinegar called “gamsikcho”
Persimmon fruit pudding is a popular dessert which uses fresh fruits.
Dried persimmon fruits (hoshigaki in Japan) can be used in cookies, cakes, muffins, puddings, salads and as a topping in breakfast cereal.

Nutritional value of Persimmon

Persimmons are an excellent source of fiber, which helps keep the body regulated. B-complex vitamins are present to stabilize the metabolic system, along with copper and phosphorus.
Vitamin A shows itself to be a powerhouse in nutrition, offering 55% of the daily value in the persimmon. Vitamin C runs a close second with 21%, plus excellent amounts of manganese, a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, for healthy mucous membranes and skin, as well as a known protectant against lung and mouth cancers.
 Low in calories and fats, this little fruit contains all kinds of phytonutrients, flavonoids, and antioxidants, such as catechins (known to have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, and for protecting small blood vessels from bleeding) as well as gallocatechins and betulinic acid, a tumor inhibitor. Other powerful antioxidants found in persimmons include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and cryptoxanthin. The zeaxanthin content absorbs into the eyes and helps filter light.