Persimmon

This fruit is in season right now. Native to China it is now grown in many countries including USA with different varieties.

There is an astringent which are sweet, spicy and incredibly tart until fully ripe. When fully ripe they are soft and squishy.

Non-Astringent can be eaten firm, crisp and barely ripe and can be sliced and eaten like an apple.

It has a cooling nature. It can help with reduces phlegm, soothing mucous membranes of the digestive tract, helpful for thirst, canker sores and chronic bronchitis. Can also be helpful for sore throats, common cold (especially if fever is present).

Partially ripe persimmons have astringent properties (draws water out of tissues) so can be helpful for diarrhoea, hypertension, spitting up or coughing up mucous.

They have a high sugar content, so can be frozen with no damage to the fruit on thawing.

They are high in vitamin c, beta-carotene, sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

They have twice as much fibre as apples and are high in polyphenols which have antioxidant activity.

I will be honest, I don’t know if I have ever had one. I have just seen them at my farmer’s market, so will buy them and try them next week.