by Eliana Liotta
The Smart Tips column by Eliana Liotta | Lots of fiber, vitamin A and low calories. The characteristics of the persimmon and some curiosities about its origins and Chinese medicine
The unmistakable sweetness should not prevent you from eating persimmons, the fruit of the gods according to the Greek etymology of the scientific name, Diospyros kaki. If there is a new orientation among nutrition scientists, it is not to ban fruit, even if it is sugary, because it provides micronutrients and phytocompounds.
The calorie myth
true, persimmons have a more abundant share of simple carbohydrates than apples or pears but a large one, 200 grams, provides 140 calories, almost as much as a pack of crackers. Not only that: a fruit made up of 80% water and provides a lot of soluble fibre, which lowers the glycemic impact.
Diabetics
The fibre, which softens in the digestive system and forms a sort of blob, slows down the absorption of glucose, so blood sugar levels remain stable, without peaks. Even diabetics are not barred from persimmons; if anything, the advice is to serve a smaller portion than the standard one (which is 150 grams), consuming it at the end of the meal.
To fiber
A single fruit covers more than 15% of the daily requirement of the recommended fibre, which helps intestinal peristalsis (therefore preventing constipation) and promotes the health of the intestine and the community of bacteria it hosts, the microbiota.
Vitamin A
Among the strengths of persimmons is beta-carotene, the pigment that gives the orange color and is a precursor of vitamin A, useful for the eyes but also for protein synthesis and bone formation. In addition, fisetin and catechins, molecules that exert protective actions towards the circulatory system.
Chinese medicine
We like to call the persimmon tree of peace, because it was among the few species to survive the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in August 1945. Its fruit has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is prescribed for the treatment of ischemia, high blood pressure, angina, atherosclerosis and inflammatory diseases. In Italy the harvesting period runs from September to November.
* The review by Lucilla Titta, coordinator of the Smartfood program at the Ieo-European Institute of Oncology.
October 14, 2023 (modified October 14, 2023 | 09:02)
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