Persimmon fruit Nutrition facts
Persimmon fruit
Persimmon fruit is a golden yellow, round or oval, flavorful, smooth textured delicacy of the Far East-Asian origin. Its sweet, delicious flesh is packed with many health-promoting nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants vital for optimum health.
Botanically, persimmons belong to the family of Ebenaceae, in the genus: Diospyros. This delicate fruit is native to China. From China, it spread to the Korean peninsula and Japan a very long time ago and later was introduced to California during the middle of the 19th century.
Scientific name: Diospyros virginiana.
Persimmons are either multi-trunked or single-stemmed deciduous trees, which may grow up to 25 ft in height. They grow best in areas where winters are moderate and summers relatively mild.
Persimmon trees are classified broadly into two general categories: those that bear 'astringent fruit' (while unripe) and those that bear 'non-astringent' fruits. An astringent cultivar, which is commonly cultivated in Japan known as “Hachiya,” is high in tannins and must be allowed to ripen completely on the tree itself until it attains jelly-soft consistency before accepted to be fit for consumption. A non-astringent persimmon, on the other hand, contains less tannin and can be eaten while it is crispy, as in apples. Astringency can be removed by treating the fruit with carbon dioxide or alcohol.
| Nutrition Principle | Nutrition Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Principle | ||
| Energy | 70 Kcal | 3.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 18.59 g | 14% |
| Protein | 0.58 g | 1% |
| TotalFat | 0.19g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.6 g | 9.5% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Choline | 7.6 mg | 1.5% |
| Folates | 8 µg | 2% |
| Niacin | 0.100 mg | 1% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.100 mg | 7.5% |
| Riboflavin | 0.020 mg | 1.5% |
| Thiamin | 0.030 mg | 2.5% |
| Vitamin C | 7.5 mg | 12.5% |
| Vitamin A | 81 IU | 3% |
| Vitamin E | 0.73 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin K | 2.6 µg | 2% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 161 mg | 3.5% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 8 mg | 0.8% |
| Copper | 0.113 mg | 12.5% |
| Iron | 0.15 mg | 2% |
| Magnesium | 9 mg | 2% |
| Manganese | 0.355 mg | 15% |
| Phosphorus | 17 mg | 4.5% |
| Zinc | 0.11 mg | 1% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-a | 0 µg | -- |
| Carotene-ß | 253 µg | -- |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 1447 µg | -- |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 834 µg | -- |
| Lycopene | 159 µg | -- |