"Food of the gods" and southerners: what is the use of persimmon and who better not eat it?

In the autumn, persimmon appears on food markets and in stores, the use of which is not only to strengthen immunity. Bright orange fruits saturate the body with vitamins and minerals. Many people adore persimmons for their juicy flesh with a sweet taste. Fruits are eaten fresh, added to pastries, desserts, salads, meat dishes. We will tell you what benefits and harm persimmon can bring to your body.

Nutritional value, calorie content and composition

There is good news for losing weight people: persimmon has a low calorie content. 100 g of juicy pulp contain only 65–70 kcal. If you eat 1-2 things every day, observing the principles of proper nutrition, you are unlikely to get better.

After 16:00, eating persimmons is not recommended, since it contains glucose and fructose. The remnants of "simple" sugars not absorbed during the evening and night can be stored in fat reserves.

There are practically no proteins and fats in persimmons, so it can not be called satisfying. But the orange fruits are perfect as a light snack between the main meals.

Persimmon is rich in the following substances:

• vitamin A and beta-carotene;
• vitamin B5;
• Vitamin C
• biotin;
• potassium;
• magnesium
• calcium
• iron;
• iodine;
• chrome.

The fruits have a lot of dietary fiber. When ingested, they draw in and then remove harmful compounds from the body: toxins, salts of heavy metals. In addition, dietary fiber provides food for healthy intestinal microflora.

TOP-10 health benefits of persimmons

Persimmon is often included in the diet of people who lead a healthy lifestyle. If you eat fresh fruits every week, you can prevent chronic diseases or improve the condition with existing ailments.

So, what are the health benefits of persimmon?

• Strengthens the immune system

With the onset of cold weather, it is useful to switch to the use of not only citrus fruits, but also persimmons. Indeed, 100 g of orange pulp contains almost 17% of the daily norm of vitamin C. True, the product is more suitable for the prevention of viral diseases, and not for treatment.

• Supports heart and vascular health

Vitamin C, which is present in persimmons, increases the strength of blood vessels. But the main value for the "cores" is pantothenic acid. 100 g of fruit pulp provide 152% of the daily norm of this substance for the body.

Pantothenic acid stimulates the production of adrenal hormones - glucocorticoids. They reduce the permeability of capillaries, maintain a normal tone of arterioles and myocardial contractility, and reduce the foci of inflammation in the body.

Persimmon has a lot of potassium and magnesium: 8% and 14% of the daily intake, respectively. These macronutrients regulate the water-salt balance, normalize blood pressure, microcirculation, strengthen the heart muscle.

Due to the high content of B vitamins, orange fruits have a positive effect on the metabolism of fats in the body. Persimmon reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood and prevents atherosclerosis.

• Normalizes digestion

The product will bring maximum benefit for the health of people prone to diarrhea, since the fruits contain tannins - substances with astringent properties. And dietary fiber improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, as they remove the waste products of pathogenic bacteria.

100 g of persimmon provide 16% of the daily requirement of the body for chromium. This micronutrient normalizes blood sugar and helps regulate appetite. With a lack of chromium, a person is bothered by sharp bouts of hunger, he acquires a tendency to overeat.

• Improves vision

100 g of pulp contains 22% of the daily intake of vitamin A and 24% of beta-carotene. These substances improve the blood supply to the eye retina, and prevent myopia and “night blindness” (impaired twilight vision). It is especially useful to give the product to children and adolescents during school hours.

• Prevents cancer

Vitamins A, C and E present in persimmon fruits have powerful antioxidant activity. They protect the cells of the body from the damaging effects of free radicals, reducing the risk of malignant neoplasms.

• Tidies the nerves

Persimmon is so sweet because it contains a lot of fructose. This natural sugar cheers up and improves performance. B vitamins have a positive effect on the nervous system and mental ability. They prevent chronic fatigue, depression, and increased anxiety.

Persimmon is one of the few high iodine products available. 100 g of fruits provide 40% of the daily requirement of the body for this substance. Iodine activates the brain and gives a surge of energy.

• Keeps beauty and youth

Persimmon is one of the most beneficial fruits for women, because it contains a lot of biotin. This substance promotes the growth of new cells, normalizes the metabolism of fatty acids, and regulates the work of sweat glands. It is especially useful to eat a product after 50 years, when due to changes in the hormonal background, many women are faced with an intensive aging process.

• Helps to lose weight

With moderate use, persimmon normalizes metabolism and promotes healthy weight loss. The product contains iron and iodine - trace elements that positively affect the thyroid gland (malfunctions in its work often cause obesity).

Glucose and fructose in persimmons are balanced by chromium, water, dietary fiber. That is, carbohydrates are absorbed gradually, and therefore do not lead to weight gain. Due to the low calorie content, fruits can be safely included in the diet.

• Protects against anemia

Iron is responsible for this property. The trace element stimulates the production of hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to various organs and tissues. During pregnancy, the risk of anemia increases, so expectant mothers should definitely include orange fruits in their diet.

• Relieves swelling

Persimmon has a slight diuretic effect and removes excess fluid from the body. This useful property is especially true for pregnant women in the third semester.

The benefits of dried and dried persimmons

Almost all vitamins, macro- and microelements that are present in fresh fruits are stored in dried persimmons. Only the calorie content changes: 100 g of the product contains 230–240 kcal. It is enough to eat 4-5 pieces a day to saturate the body with useful substances and at the same time maintain a slim figure.

Dried persimmons are easy to prepare at home:

1. Choose ripe fruit with a firm flesh.
2. Wash them under running water, remove the peel and cut into circles 3-5 mm thick.
3. Cover the pan with parchment paper. Put the pieces of fruit and send to dry in the oven at a temperature of 90 degrees.

Estimated cooking time - 2-3 hours. The finished product has an orange-brownish color and a crisp.

It is more difficult to prepare dried persimmons, but it has a more intense and sweet taste. Calorie content and vitamin content - like dried.

We tell you how to properly wither persimmons:

1. Buy ripe fruit with a firm flesh. Rinse under running water and dry.
2. Carefully remove the peel, leaving a small circle around the handle and the “tail” itself.
3. Prepare a strong thread.Hang each fruit on it by the stalk. Make sure that they do not touch each other.
4. Hang the fruits to dry in a dark, well-ventilated area. If sunlight accidentally hits them, the color of the finished dried fruit will turn dull.
5. After 4-5 days, a white coating will appear on the fruit. This is sugar. Gently massage the fruits with your fingers, spreading the plaque over the entire surface. Repeat this procedure every 3 days for 2 months.

Ready dried (dried) persimmons can be bought at the store. It is better to choose dried fruits brought from Japan. In this country, the harvesting technology is carefully observed, and the fruits themselves contain maximum vitamins.

Potential harm and contraindications to the use of persimmons

Like any other product, persimmon can harm the body if overused. Most often, lovers of orange fruits are faced with an overdose of vitamin A. This condition is fraught with the following side effects:

• yellowing and dryness of the skin, the appearance of microcracks;
• upset stool;
• nausea, vomiting;
• increased fragility of bones;
• gum disease;
• irritability, anxiety.

Excess vitamin A is dangerous for pregnant women, since it increases the risk of intrauterine pathologies. Therefore, during pregnancy can not absorb persimmons in kilograms. Enough 1 thing per day.

You can not eat unripe fruits, because they have a lot of tannins. These substances are able to "stick together" the contents of the stomach, causing the formation of indigestible lumps, which can cause intestinal obstruction and severe abdominal pain. Especially harmful is the combination of persimmons with milk proteins.

The product has the following contraindications for use:

• age up to 3 years;
• tendency to constipation;
• type 2 diabetes;
• allergy.

Sometimes authors of articles advise to exclude persimmons from the diet for obese people. However, if you eat one small fruit in the morning, the weight will not increase, and the body will receive a portion of the vitamins necessary for a healthy metabolism.

How to choose a delicious persimmon?

If you want to buy ripe and sweet persimmons, pay attention to appearance. Ripe fruits have a bright orange color and brownish leaves. There should be no dents, cracks or dark spots on the skin. If the pit remains on the fruits with pressure, then they have already lost most of the vitamins and have begun to deteriorate.

One of the best varieties available on the Russian market is the Persimon Bouquet of Spain. It tastes very sweet and does not knit at all. The fruits are larger than the Korolka familiar to everyone, the peel is firm, the flesh is dense, and there are no bones inside.

The use of persimmons for cosmetic purposes

Persimmon can not only be eaten, but also used to make masks. After all, it contains many substances that have a rejuvenating effect. Persimmon juice regulates the sebaceous glands, cleanses pores and destroys bacteria. Therefore, it will be especially useful for problematic skin prone to acne and acne.

The simplest facial mask recipe includes just two ingredients: 1 tablespoon of persimmon pulp and 1 beaten egg yolk. They need to be thoroughly mixed, applied to clean skin and left for 15 minutes. Then rinse with warm water. This mask prevents the appearance of new wrinkles, cleanses the face well and gives a feeling of freshness. And if you additionally add 1 tablespoon of oatmeal to the product, you can achieve the effect of narrowing the pores.

No wonder the ancient Greeks called persimmon the food of the gods. Orange fruits have a restorative effect on the body and prevent the occurrence of serious ailments: cancer, cardiovascular disease, anemia. Persimmon has a pleasant taste in any form: fresh, dried and dried. Use it in moderation to maintain healthy internal organs and good mood.