benefits of persimmon

Benefits of Persimmon

41. Regulation
Persimmons must be bought with suitable colouring, without greenish colours. The fruit must be intact, with the calyx.The fruit must be of yellow to orange colour, according to the varieties. The size also determines the quality of the produce; the larger fruit is better. It must be free of cracks, mechanical damages and rotting. The percentage of soluble solids must be of 2123% for the variety Hachiya and of 1820% for the variety Fuyu and similar nonastringent varieties. There is no specific European standard for kakis, although there is a generic one for fruit and vegetables.
42. Postharvest Atmosphere Management
Persimmons must be stored at temperatures around 0
43. Postharvest
Persimmons are very fragile fruit, so their transport must be extremely careful. The temperature must be as low as possible and the ventilation must be such as to reduce the levels of ethylene. The loads must not be a mix of substances that produce this gas. During distribution, the temperature and ventilation must also be taken into account.
44. Postharvest Problems
Among the problems that persimmons may undergo during their storage there are damages caused by ethylene, chilling injuries and damages caused by low levels of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide.Persimmons are usually not juiced but are eaten on its own, like a mango, or pureed or for making smoothies. They are highly fibrous, delicious and nutritious.
45. Popular Tradition
Different parts of the persimmon are used for medicinal purposes: the fruit, the leaves, the tree bark or even the flowers. It lowers the blood pressure, it relieves cough and prevents arteriosclerosis, among many other properties. When it is unripe, it contains a great amount of iodine, that helps to relieve goitre. In the last few years it has been stated that kakis leaves are good to lower the pressure, prevent arteriosclerosis, purify the blood and lubricate the intestine. Besides, the persimmon is a tranquillizer, it stimulates the corporal fluids and calms the thirst. It fortifies the spleen, it fights diarrhoea, blood in faeces and haemorrhoids. The flowers are used to treat measles, whereas the bark of the tree is used to cure burns. Kakis are suitable for weak and depressed people, thanks to their content in vitamins of group B.
46. From a nutritional point
Persimmons supply 70 kcal/100 g, that come mainly from carbohydrates, although they also provide 10 mg/100 g of vitamin C (around one sixth of the recommended daily consumption) and some carotenoids. Vitamin C may have an influence in some physiological states, such as the suppression of nitrosamine formation in the intestine. Nitrite, which is found in foodstuffs and water, reacts with amines in order to produce nitrosamines, whose carcinogenic characteristics have been tested. The antioxidant capacity of vitamin C can also protect from cancer, intensifying the immunological functions. The diets that are rich in carotenoids have been related to a decrease of the risk of contracting cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
47. Nutrition and Eating
Different parts of the persimmon are used for medicinal purposes: the fruit, the leaves, the tree bark or even the flowers. It lowers the blood pressure, it relieves cough and prevents arteriosclerosis, among many other properties.
48. Types and Varieties of Persimmon
There exist three species of persimmon: the Chinese, the Japanese and the species from Virginia. The first one is the most cultivated species, whereas the latter usually grows wild. The varieties of persimmon are distinguished in astringent and non astringent. The first ones are the traditional, and the second, the most recent, are the ones consumed nowadays. The kaki includes three different species of the genus Dyospiros, that are distinguished by their size and taste.
49. The Chinese persimmon
The Chinese persimmon (D. kaki) is the most cultivated variety and it is consumed raw as fresh fruit and also cooked in many different ways. The fruit has a diameter of 39cm and a weight ranging from 80 to 250g, according to the variety. It is red, orange or yellow, with an orange, sweet and juicy pulp, although with a slightly sharp taste.
50. Unripe persimmon juice
Unripe persimmon juice is also a very powerful topical solution for minor cuts, bleeding gums, and to prevent the worsening of varicose veins. Simply dab the juice onto the skin with a cotton pad.The shape of the fruit varies from spherical to acorn to flattened or even squarish. The color varies from light yelloworange to dark orangered.