In forests with tropical and subtropical climates, persimmon berries ripen on trees and shrubs.
Trees live up to 500 years, and many of the 200 varieties of their fruits are edible.
The name persimmon rooted in Greece and translates as "divine fire." And, it seems, so they called her quite rightly.
After all, persimmon protects, heals and restores all the vital functions of the body.
Persimmons: calories, composition methods of application
Persimmon perfectly satisfies hunger and at the same time is a useful dietary product.
100 g of fruits contain 67 kcal, 0.5 g of protein, 0.4 g of fat, 15.3 g of carbohydrates and:
• Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, PP;
• beta-carotene;
• Calcium;
• Potassium;
• Sodium;
• Magnesium;
• Phosphorus;
• Iodine;
• Iron.
On average, one fruit weighs about 85 grams, which is 57 kcal.
Persimmon berries are eaten on their own in ripened form, and are also used to make salads, meat dishes, puddings, jellies, marmalade and drinks.
Persimmon: what are the benefits for the body?
The elongated light orange persimmon fruit has a tart taste and sticks in the mouth. This variety requires ripening in a warm room, which will save it from astringency. Another persimmon variety has a more rounded shape and orange-brown color. This juicy and sweet berry "korolek" sings very quickly and does not require additional time for final maturity.
Useful for the body properties of persimmons are due to its composition and low calorie content. Even with a strict diet, you can eat several fruits a day and improve your own health.
When persimmon is useful:
• Digestive upset - pectin in the berry improves stomach function;
• Intestinal infections - persimmon has a disinfecting effect, it destroys most Escherichia coli, including Staphylococcus aureus;
• Prevention of cardiovascular disease - cardiologists recommend eating one to two fruits daily. The content of the trace element potassium in them will help prevent heart disease and its premature wear;
• Strengthening blood vessels - vitamins C and P seal the walls of blood vessels, make them stronger and less permeable;
• Thyroid health - persimmon contains iodine that is well absorbed by the body, which makes it useful in preventing iodine deficiency and maintaining the normal functioning of the thyroid gland;
• Prevention of urolithiasis - persimmon berries are an excellent diuretic. By eating them, you can saturate the body with magnesium. Thus, the percentage of accumulation of salts in the genitourinary system will decrease, which will prevent the formation of kidney stones;
• Strong eye muscle - vitamin A, which enters the body with each persimmon fruit, strengthens the muscles of the eye, which is the key to good vision for many years;
• Nervous system - persimmon is useful in high content of vitamin B. 2-3 delicious berries can improve mood and increase concentration. By regularly including these juicy fruits in your diet, you can more persistently tolerate the attack of environmental stressors;
• Anemia - anemia significantly reduces the quality of life. With a lack of iron in the body, a person experiences constant depression and weakness, up to dizziness. His body is more susceptible to colds. Healthy persimmon contains so much iron that eating 1-2 fruits for breakfast daily, after a few days you can feel much better without the use of pharmacy drugs;
• Colds and coughs - Persimmon is a great support for immunity in the cold season. In addition, it is an excellent antiseptic and expectorant. Therefore, orange berries will help cure a sore throat and get rid of dry cough. To do this, gargle with persimmon juice diluted with water, or just eat the fruits;
• Gum disease - it happens that the sensitivity of the gums increases significantly and even the slightest touch with a toothbrush provokes their bleeding. Persimmon has the ability to strengthen the gums and protect them. She, moreover, is a good cure for scurvy;
Many people associate persimmons with frosty winter periods. Bringing ice fruits home, they are allowed to warm up and then enjoy delicious juicy bright berries. And this is right, because persimmon is extremely beneficial for health due to its vitamin composition. This is one of the few winter treats that will save the human body from vitamin deficiency.
Persimmon: what is the harm to health?
The use of persimmons can harm health if there are contraindications to it. The berry contains a large amount of sugars, astringent fibers and tannin.
But because use with caution with:
• Diabetes mellitus - do not completely exclude healthy persimmons from the diet. Instead, it is wise to eat it in moderation;
• Tendency to obesity - persimmon can slow down the metabolism;
• Children's age up to 3 years - astringent fibers of the fruit, interacting with gastric juice, make it thick. This can cause a stoppage of the stomach;
There are contraindications that require the complete exclusion of persimmons from the human diet:
• Postoperative period in the gastrointestinal tract - do not load the digestive system with persimmon after surgery. This can provoke adhesive scars, and ultimately lead to bowel obstruction;
• Exacerbation of pancreatitis;
• Obesity - with the existing tendency to obesity, a person can still regulate the use of persimmons. If the problem has a much greater degree, then the fruit should be discarded.
Bright orange persimmon berries can cause harm to health only in conditions of neglect of contraindications or its excessive use.
Persimmon for children: benefits and harms
Persimmon is good for the baby. But you need to know simple secrets that will help to avoid the undesirable consequences of eating a delicious fruit.
The digestive system of a baby under the age of 3 years is still completely immature. It is formed by adapting to various foods. At this age, it is contraindicated to offer a child persimmon. This berry is still too heavy for the delicate baby ventricle.
A child over 3 years old can try to introduce persimmons into the diet, but do it gradually, watching the reaction of the body. In general, 10 years of age is considered optimal when a child can eat 1-2 fruits of healthy persimmons per day.
Proper diet and contraindications will avoid harm from persimmons. And its benefits to the children's body are significant:
• Strong eye muscle and good vision, as a result;
• Stable neuro-emotional background;
• Strong healthy heart;
• Optimal muscle tone;
• A boost of energy due to saturation with vitamins, macro and micro elements.
Persimmon, useful for children's health, is given to children in raw ripe form, as well as jelly, puddings, and jam are prepared from it. Dried persimmon resembles dates in taste and will certainly be enjoyed by children.
Persimmon: application in cosmetology
Persimmon is useful for any type of skin. With its use, masks and lotions are prepared for oily skin prone to acne, for dry and aging skin. To narrow pores and get rid of acne, egg white is added to the persimmon pulp. In order to moisturize the skin and restore its elasticity, persimmons are mixed with vegetable oil and honey. Such masks are kept on the face for up to 20 minutes and washed off with warm water.
Persimmon is beneficial for the body in the fight against cellulite. The fruit pulp is mixed with lemon and orange juice, salt is added and rubbed into problem areas after taking a hot bath. Then the remnants of the mask are washed off with warm water.
In order to remove the bruise, it is enough to make an application of persimmon pulp on it.
Persimmon: rules for selection and storage
Most often on the shelves of our stores and markets you can find two types of persimmons - Sharon and Korolek:
• Sharon - a bright orange fruit. The berry is large enough and dense to the touch. It has an elongated shape. Such persimmons usually need to be given time to mature in home warmth. But this does not promise that she will completely lose her astringency;
• Korolek - the fruit is an orange-chocolate hue. This is a very juicy and sweet persimmon. This variety does not need to ripen.
If persimmon is too dense, and its taste is unpleasantly tart, then it is still completely unripe. Such a fetus can cause acute intestinal upset. Therefore, green berries must be given time to ripen.
Overripe spoiled persimmons have an unpleasant aftertaste, similar to a rotting fruit. And eating it is unlikely to be convenient, because in this state it is already turning into a mushy mass.
Of course, it is most pleasant to eat fresh healthy persimmons. But there are secrets for preserving berries without losing their beneficial properties:
• Storage of fruits at temperatures from 0 to -1 degrees, will allow them to stay fresh for 3-4 months. An important condition is the humidity level, the permissible values of which are between 90% and 95%. With a lack of moisture persimmon shrivels, and with its excess covered with mold;
• Quick freezing in the freezer will save persimmon for half a year;
• Sharon is conveniently dried in slices. For this, the sliced fruit is placed in an oven heated to 45 degrees. As soon as the pieces get a rich golden color, they are taken out.
And when freezing, and during heat treatment, persimmon does not lose its beneficial properties for the body. The only disadvantage of fruit freezing is that after thawing, the consistency of the pulp resembles a liquid slurry.
Persimmon from the bone at home
Surprisingly, a persimmon tree can be grown from seed at home. For this, a bone taken from a fresh fruit is placed in a pot with moist soil and covered with a film. The pot is put in a warm place and watered daily. A seed germinates after 10-15 days. If during this time the sprout did not appear, then there is no sense in waiting any longer. You need to take new bones and try again.
After the sprout appeared in the pot, after a couple of days it should get rid of the remnants of the bone, which is still on it. If this did not happen naturally, then the sprout must be helped and the excess removed gently.
Then begins the active growth of the plant. Each tree should develop in its own separate pot so that its root system receives enough nutrition. Regular fertilizer replenishment is required, air temperature from 20 to 30 degrees and enough sunlight. With proper care, after 7-8 months the plant will need to be transplanted into a larger pot.
After 3-4 years, it is time to plant a young tree. This will endow him with the ability to bear useful persimmon berries.
