7 Astonishing Persimmon Benefits for Healthy Lifestyle

Updated on November 29th, 2019
persimmon benefits

Most of us have often heard of this fruit but are unaware of its benefits on our health. Persimmon benefits the human body in many ways that are beyond our knowledge. Let us have a look at these seven persimmon benefits and more of its details which are sure to make you want for more of the delicious fruit.

What is a Persimmon Fruit?

Do all of us know what a persimmon fruit is? Well, not everyone is aware of what a persimmon fruit looks like. It is especially true in those areas where persimmons are not cultivated or available(1). A persimmon is a berry or a fruit obtained from the edible fruit trees in the Diospyros genus.

Persimmon is an Asian fruit and has been cultivated in Asia, especially Japan, since about 1300 years. It looks similar to a tomato. It is soft fruit, picked when suitably lush and ripe. It tastes incredibly delicious when picked at the right time.

Persimmon Nutritional Value

Persimmon is quite rich in nutrients. The persimmon nutrition facts given below are for one fruit of weight almost 168 gm.

  • Total fat-0.3
  • Cholesterol- 0 mg
  • Potassium- 8%
  • Total carbs- 31 g
  • Protein – 1 g
  • Vitamin A- 55%
  • Vitamin C- 22%
  • Vitamin E- 6%
  • Vitamin K – 5%
  • Iron- 13%
  • Calcium- 2%
  • Potassium- 8%
  • Copper- 9%
  • Manganese- 30%

Persimmon fruit calories value is 118 for this size.

7 Amazing Persimmon Benefits for Health

Persimmon has numerous health benefits. Here is a list of Top 7 persimmon benefits on our health.

1. Persimmon is full of Nutrients

As is evident from the above values, persimmons are dense in certain nutrients. Hence, persimmons are a great fruit for increasing the immunity of our body. Persimmon benefits us by promoting healthy functioning of our various systems.

2. Persimmon promotes Eye Health

Improvement of Eye Health
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Persimmon is rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for eye health. It supports the proper functioning of the retina and cornea. Vitamin a is an important component of a protein called rhodopsin, which is essential for eye health.

3. Persimmons may aid in heart health as well

heart
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Persimmons contain flavonoid antioxidants. These are essential for the prevention of various heart diseases. Also, the tannins found in persimmon benefits in lowering the blood pressure.

4. Persimmon benefits may help in lowering the cholesterol

Persimmon benefits us by lowering the increased levels of cholesterol in our body. The high soluble fiber in persimmon benefits in lowering the cholesterol by helping the body to excrete excess amounts out.

5. Persimmon benefits boost digestive health

digestion
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The high soluble fiber content in persimmons help in boosting the functioning of the digestive system. It helps in maintaining a healthy bowel habit and prevents one from getting affected by constipation, gases, etc.

6. Persimmons are high in antioxidants

Anti-oxidants are essential in fighting free radical damage. Free radicals cause certain conditions like cancer in our body. By fighting off these free radicals, persimmon benefits us by preventing us from cancer and other conditions like inflammation.

7. Persimmon benefits your skin

healthy skin
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Persimmons have a high content of vitamin a and c. It is also rich in vitamin e. all these vitamins are essential for skin health. Persimmon puree can also be applied on the face to get a brighter and glowing skin.

When does a persimmon fruit ripe?

A persimmon fruit comes in two different varieties-astringent and non-astringent. It is better to leave the astringent variety until it is perfectly ripe. The ideal time to consider an astringent persimmon to be ripe is when it falls from the tree. The non-astringent persimmons get an apricot hue which looks deep-flushed when these are fully ripe. They also seem slightly pinkish. Such persimmons are ripe and ready to be eaten at harvest.

How does a Persimmon fruit taste?

A fully ripe persimmon tastes very sweet. It has a pudding-like texture when perfectly ripe. Some even say that ripe persimmon fruit tastes like an apricot. The unripe ones are kind of astringent and bitter. They may not feel particularly tasty.

What is a Black Persimmon fruit?

Black persimmon fruit is also known as Diospyros nigra or black sapote. It is also known as a chocolate-pudding fruit or black soap apple. This fruit tree originated in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

This fruit is like a tomato and has a firm yet thin rind. The ripe fruit has an inedible skin which is greenish-yellow in color. The pulp is dark-brown in color which has a consistency of a chocolate pudding hence, the name.

Persimmon fruit seeds characteristics

Persimmon fruit seeds are typically anywhere from 1 to 10 in number. These seeds are smooth and brown. There is interesting folklore associated with these seeds. According to the old tales, the persimmon fruit seeds can predict the type of winter during that particular year.

If a seed is cut open with a knife, then the inside of the seeds can tell the winter. If the shape of the cotyledon after cutting is like a fork, it means the winter will be mild and enjoyable, if it is like a spoon it means it will be wet and snowy and you will have to shovel the snow out. And if it is like a knife, it means that the winter will cut like a knife, which means that it will be biting cold. Interesting, isn’t it?

What is a dried Persimmon Fruit?

dry persimmon
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Dried persimmon fruit is a traditional type of dried fruit obtained by air drying the persimmons of oriental type. When persimmons get dried, they get harvested when they are not fully ripe and are firm. Also, they are astringent and bitter. Persimmon stems get strung together, or they are put on a persimmon-drying rack for air-drying to produce dried persimmon fruit.

Persimmon Fruit Recipes

Persimmon is a delicious fruit with a lot of health benefits. Also, it can be easily added to the daily diet to make nutritious and healthy meals. Check out these healthy and delicious persimmon fruit recipes

Persimmon jam recipe

Ingredients

  • Six large and ripe persimmons
  • One cup sugar
  • One lemon

Procedure

  • Clean and peel six large and ripe persimmons. Discard the seeds
  • Add in a blender and blend until you get a smooth puree
  • Take a heavy bottomed saucepan and transfer the puree to it
  • Add one cup of sugar. Boil for about fifteen minutes on medium heat and frequently stir to avoid any burning
  • Add in juice of one lemon and mix until well-blended
  • Let the mixture thicken
  • Turn off the stove and bring the jam to the room temperature
  • Pack into jars and seal well

Persimmon and banana smoothie

persimmon smoothie
Image: Shutter stock

Ingredients

  • One ripe banana
  • Two persimmons deseeded
  • Two tbsp. chia seeds
  • 13.5 ounces coconut milk

Procedures

  • In a blender, mix all the ingredients mentioned
  • Blend until you get a smooth puree
  • Taste the puree and if it is not sweet enough then add a little honey and blend a bit
  • Remove in glasses and garnish with some chia seeds
  • Serve cool

Precautions and side effects

Persimmons are fairly well-tolerated by most of the people. However, some things worth keeping in mind are-

  • Persimmons are quite sugary and sweet. Hence, people with diabetes need to watch out a bit. It is better to consult a doctor before consuming any sugary foods
  • Some studies link persimmons to undesired low blood pressure. Concerned people must seek medical advice first before consuming persimmons
  • There is not much evidence found related to the use of persimmons in pregnant and breastfeeding women. A word of caution here would be to avoid eating persimmons and stay on the safer side or consult your doctor first before consuming any persimmons

Persimmons are delicious and healthy fruits. They are berries and taste sweet when fully ripe. They have a sweet flavor. They can provide us with numerous health benefits when consumed responsibly. Persimmon benefits are easy to include in the daily diet and can make regular meals quite tasty and healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are persimmons good for health?

Persimmons are high in several nutrients and are, therefore, considered to be one of the healthiest fruits. They are extremely beneficial for the body if consumed responsibly.

2. Is Persimmon peel edible?

The peel of a ripe persimmon is edible. The peel of unripe ones may not taste as good. The peel of black persimmon is inedible though.

3. How many calories does a persimmon fruit have?

Persimmon fruit calories value is about 118 calories for medium-sized, ripe fruit.

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