Persimmons, the nutrient-packed fruit of the gods you’ll love. What should you know about him?

Persimmon is especially popular for its delicious taste and high vitamin content.

Want to know more about it?

For example, what are its health benefits?

Or how to use it in the kitchen?

You will find all this and much more in our article!

What exactly is persimmon?

Persimmon (or persimmon) is an exotic fruit that grows on various trees of the genus Diospyros. The most widespread of them is Diospyros kaki or Japanese persimmon. The persimmon, which is sometimes called the “divine fruit”, comes from China and has been cultivated for a long time in Japan, where it is even the national fruit.

When the persimmon is ripe, its color ranges from pale yellow to dark red-orange. They also vary in size and shape. You can find persimmons as small as 2 cm in diameter or as large as 9 cm in diameter. Some are rounded while others are heart or pumpkin shaped.

What does a persimmon taste like?

Persimmon tastes like no other fruit. A good persimmon will taste sweet and delicate. Many people have described its taste as “honey”. The texture of the persimmon is silky and slippery, and the skin is slightly harder than an apple.

Biting into an unripe persimmon is generally considered an unpleasant experience, as its taste will be bitter and the high amount of tannins will make your mouth watery and dry.

Therefore, let an unripe persimmon ripen for about a week before biting into it. If you want to eat it sooner, put it somewhere warm or in a bag with something ripe to speed up the process. Ripe persimmon notes so that it is soft to the touch.

Health benefits of consuming persimmons

Persimmon has many health benefits such as:

It is loaded with nutrients

Although small in size, persimmons contain an impressive amount of nutrients, including vitamins A, C and B, potassium and manganese. It is also low in calories and high in fiber, which makes it a food suitable for weight loss. In addition to vitamins and minerals, persimmons contain a wide range of plant compounds, including tannins, flavonoids and carotenoids, which can positively affect our health.

Contains powerful antioxidants

Persimmons are an excellent source of powerful antioxidants such as carotenoids and flavonoids. A diet rich in these compounds has been linked to a reduced risk of certain diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

Improves heart health

Persimmons contain flavonoid antioxidants and tannins that benefit heart health by reducing blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol levels.

It helps fight inflammation

Persimmons are rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin C, which helps reduce inflammation, a common cause of many diseases (heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer and obesity).

It is rich in fiber

Fiber-rich foods like persimmons can help lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and keep our digestive system healthy.

Supports eye health

Persimmon contains a lot of vitamin A and antioxidants, which are essential for eye health. It also has a high content of lutein and zeaxanthin – nutrients that support healthy vision.

Nutritional values of persimmons

In the following table, look at the nutritional values of fresh persimmon in 100 grams.

Vitamins and minerals in persimmons

Also look at the amount of minerals and vitamins that 100 grams of fresh persimmon contains.

Where to buy persimmon and how to store it?

Persimmon season is from October to February and you can find it at any major grocery store . Choose firm pieces that have a shiny, smooth skin without any blemishes. The khaki should not be bruised or torn in any way and its color should be orange with brightly colored leaves on top. If the persimmon is unripe, it will be a lighter shade of orange.

Unripe fruit should be stored at room temperature. If you want it to ripen a little faster, you can put the persimmons in a paper bag with a banana or apple and store them on the counter. Both bananas and apples produce ethylene gas, which can speed up the ripening process.

If you buy a persimmon that is already ripe or almost ripe , store it in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator to prevent overripeness. Always put it in a plastic bag or airtight container. Also, never store it with other fruits like apples or bananas, or it will spoil prematurely. It is not recommended to wash it, because washing the persimmon will speed up its ripening. It will last a maximum of a week in the fridge.

You can also make a puree of persimmons that can be frozen . Simply blend the ripe persimmon pulp, transfer the puree to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 year. Then thaw the puree at room temperature for 20 minutes. You can also freeze persimmon flesh cut into cubes or slices by first quickly freezing the cut pieces on a sheet and then transferring them to an airtight container that you put in the freezer. Persimmons should be ripe before you freeze them. An unripe persimmon freezes well, but once it thaws, it will no longer be able to ripen.

You can also dry persimmons and then pick them like dates. Place the persimmon slices on a tray and let them dry in a cool, shady place for two weeks.

So how long will khaki last for you in various forms?

Can persimmons go bad?

Like any other fruit, persimmons can go bad. This fruit in particular spoils much faster due to the high content of moisture and sugar in the pulp. Persimmons that are left at higher than normal temperatures will spoil quickly. The heat will cause the fruit to ripen prematurely, causing it to spoil.

Persimmon left in the fridge can also spoil. A cooler temperature will only slow down the ripening process, but not stop it completely. So if you leave it in the fridge for a long time, it will overripe and spoil.

And how do you know that kaki is spoiled ?

• it starts to have wrinkled skin and soft spots all over the surface
• you will find black spots with mold on it
• it will have a pungent odor
• its taste is bitter and sour

Types of persimmons

There are more than 100 varieties of persimmons, which are divided into two main groups: bitter and non-bitter. Of the bitter ones, the best known is kaki hachiya, of the non-bitter ones, fuyu.

Kaki Hachiya

This type of persimmon looks like a large, long acorn with yellow-orange to red-orange skin. It must be completely ripe before consumption, i.e. it will be very soft to the touch, the skin will start to wrinkle and the texture will be almost slimy. Its taste is then very sweet, almost like honey. It is mostly used in baked recipes. If the hachiya persimmon is not fully ripe, its taste will be bitter and bitter, almost inedible.

Kaki Fuyu

Fuyu is tomato-shaped and less bitter than hachiya, making it tastier. You can consume it even when it is still hard. When ripe, it tastes a bit like pears. You can eat it raw, but also bake it and bake it into desserts. Its versatility has made it the most commonly cultivated persimmon in the world.

How to use persimmon in the kitchen?

Persimmons are often eaten fresh as a snack or added to salads or desserts. They also make great jam or compote.

Tips on how to use persimmon:

• to make vinegar
• grill and serve with baked Brie as a luxurious appetizer
• load
• serve with soft cheeses
• cook into dressings or marinades for meat
• add fresh or boiled to yogurt or oatmeal (try one of our homemade yogurt recipes )
• mix into the mixture for muffins, buns, cookies or cakes
• mix with forest fruits and citrus fruits to prepare a delicious fruit salad
• bake with chicken for a unique combination of flavors
• add to smoothies
• stuff like peppers (take out the insides and stuff them with grain and some vegetables)

The persimmon flavor goes well with almonds, apples, brandy, cinnamon, ginger, grapes, hazelnuts, ice cream, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges, pine nuts, pomegranate, soft cheese, walnuts and yogurt.

Come and have a look at some simple recipes with persimmons:

Honey roasted persimmons

If the fruit is firm, it is a great option for roasting. Cut it in half horizontally or slice it. Drizzle with a little honey or agave syrup and fry until golden. It tastes best still warm with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Persimmon puree

If the fruit is soft, put it in a blender and whiz to a delicious puree. Serve mixed with vanilla yogurt.

Salad

Cut the fruit, mix with salad leaves and sweet and sour honey-balsamic dressing. Crumble the goat cheese on top and season with roasted almonds and fresh herbs. Also try our other recipes for vegetable salads !

Salsa

Dice the fruit and mix with lime juice, a little apple cider vinegar, some chopped coriander and mint, a pinch of chilli or chopped fresh red pepper and a pinch of sugar. This salsa goes great with grilled fish.

Persimmon pudding

Custard is one of the most common desserts made from persimmons. It tastes great with ice cream and whipped cream.

Persimmon cultivation

Persimmons grow on trees from the genus Diospyros, which includes over 500 species of evergreen and deciduous trees. The most widespread of these is Diospyros kaki, which is the same cultivar that grew in China more than two millennia ago. This species can grow up to 1.2 meters in height and has deciduous leaves that change color. Its fruits ripen into shades of yellow, orange and red. Diospyros kaki grows throughout Asia and parts of northern India, as well as parts of southern Europe and the Middle East.

Another related species of persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, or American persimmon, comes from the United States. It grows along the East Coast and in states further west, including Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa. Its fruits are smaller than those of the Japanese persimmon.

Can you grow your own persimmons at home?

Yes, it can be done. Persimmon is relatively easy to grow and maintain due to its tolerance to different soil conditions.

If you decide to grow your own persimmons, plant your tree in full sunlight. Then it also depends on which type you choose. American persimmon requires both male and female flowers because it is not self-pollinating. Japanese persimmon is self-pollinating for a change, so you will only need one tree to grow it.

Get young grafted trees, which you prefer to grow in sufficiently large containers for the first years after planting. Transfer them for the winter to a place where the temperature does not drop below 0 degrees Celsius in the first year after planting, to -5 °C the following year. When the stem of the tree grows to a diameter of 3 cm, you can already put it in its permanent place in the spring. Even so, it is a good idea to wrap it with non-woven fabric for the first year after planting outside, which will prevent damage from strong frosts.

History of persimmons

While the word persimmon actually comes from the Algonquian (one of the most widespread North American indigenous language groups) word pessamin, the Japanese persimmon is believed to have originated in China, where it has existed for over 10,000 years. The persimmon was eventually introduced to Japan and Korea in the seventh and 14th centuries. Commodore Matthew C. Perry brought its seeds back to the US after his historic expedition to Japan in the 1850s.

Today, China, Japan and Korea are the world’s largest producers of Japanese persimmons, with the fruit playing an important role in autumn harvest celebrations.

A North American cousin of the Japanese persimmon. D. Virginiana dates back to prehistoric times, when Native Americans ate it dried.