Persimmons
native Algonquins introduced persimmons to Jamestown settlers to sustain them through the harsh winters. In Japan, persimmons are a remedy for hangovers. The botanical name, Diospyros comes from a Greek word that means "food from the gods".
Most of the persimmons we get today are from Brazil, China, Japan and Korea. The are available from late September through January. They peak around Thanksgiving time. Brightly colored with a glossy, deep orange-red skin, persimmons are classified as astringent or non-astringent.
Astringent varieties are distinguished by a plump acorn-like shape that tapers to a point. They have a high tannin content, making them tart and bitter when not ripe. At their peak, however, the tannins disappear and astringent persimmons become soft, almost mushy to the touch. What's left is a sweet custard-like pulp that you can eat with a spoon and that tastes similar to apricots or plums. The astringent variety you see the most is the Japanese Hachiya, chock full of vitamins A and C, the mineral manganese and a shopping six grams of fiber (nearly twice what's in an apple). The dark orange-colored pulp is testament to its bounty of beta-carotene, though the amount varies by variety.
Nonastringent varieties are shapend like round, squashed tomatoes, smaller than acorn-shaped persimmons, but with the same sweet taste. The texture, however, is crisp and crunchy, like that of apples, which gets a big softer as it ripens, similar to pears. The Foyu variety dominates the nonastringent market. Not as much is known about its nutritional value, though it reportedly contains much less vitamin C than Hachiya, but more potassium. Vitamin A presumably is still high.
Little research has been conducted on this fruit but its high fiber and antioxidant content suggests it may be cardioprotective. One Israeli study found that rats eating a high-fat diet had better lipid profiles (higher HDLs, lower LDLs and triglycerides) when given dried persimmons than when not.
