Persimmon Health Benefits, Risk and Tips

The persimmon is an exotic fruit with yellow-orange skin, which is at its sweetest when very ripe. There are two major varieties of persimmon in North America. One is the sweet, tomato-shaped Fuyu; the other is the juicier, crispier, acorn-shaped Hachiya. Fuyus, or nonastringent persimmons, are eaten when hard, as you would an apple. They’re crisp, sweet, and crunchy, and you can eat both the skin and the flesh.

The Hachiya persimmon has an almost jelly like-texture, with flesh that tastes like honey and vanilla. However, unripe they are bitter. The trick is to let the persimmon ripen way beyond what you would normally expect. It must be soft, squishy, and almost bursting out of its skin with ripeness. When ready to eat or to use in cooking, cut off the top, scoop out the pulp, and discard the seeds.

Health Benefits

May reduce cancer risk.
Persimmons are high in vitamin A, which regulates cell functions, boosts your immune system, and may reduce your risk of cancer.

Boosts immune system.
A powerful antioxidant, the vitamin C in persimmons helps fight off harmful free radicals, boosts your immune system, and protects against infection.

Lowers blood pressure.
Persimmons are a good source of potassium, which can improve blood pressure by offsetting some of the harmful effects of sodium. Potassium may also lower your risk of recurring kidney stones and osteoporosis.

50% of your Daily Recommended amount of Vitamin A is in a single, medium-size persimmon.

Aids in digestion and weight loss.
Like other fruits, persimmons are a good source of dietary fiber. The fiber in them can help improve digestion, prevent constipation, and make you feel fuller faster, which can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Health Risks

Digestive trouble.
A perfectly ripe persimmon can be delectable, but as with any fruit, eating too many of them in one sitting could prove to be too much of a good thing and you could end up with gas, bloating, cramps, or diarrhea.

Eating Tips
• Add a cup of persimmon pulp to bread recipes for an additional zing.
• Chop up some persimmons and add to salsa.
• Freeze ripe fruit, then scoop out the insides and eat like sherbet.

Buying Tips
• Hachiya persimmons should be very soft when ripe, while Fuyu are crisper.
• Seek out unblemished, deeply colored reddish-orange fruit with glossy skin.

Storing Tips
• Enjoy soft, ripe fruit immediately, because overripe persimmons can become mushy or mealy.
• Allow any firmer, unripe persimmons to ripen before eating,
• To ripen firm fruit, place it in a paper bag at room temperature for 1 to 3 days. Put an apple in the bag with the persimmon to speed up the ripening process.
• Ripe persimmons can be stored in the refrigerator inside a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
• Store puréed persimmon flesh in the freezer for up to 6 months.