How Can Persimmons Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Persimmons, Fluids & Metabolism

Persimmons have 'cold yin energy' in Chinese medicine which means their astringency cools inflammation and sweetness helps rebuild fluids. Persimmons are thus an ideal fall tonic to combat autumn dryness (Vata) and any lingering inflammation from summer heat (Pitta). Persimmon moistens the throat & nourish the lungs. Diabetics should beware of its high sugar content.

Persimmons & digestion

The high fiber and demulcent (gooey) quality of persimmon makes it good for hemorrhoids and constipation. Astringency reduces internal bleeding while sweetness coats and soothes inflammation. Astringency in skins can be also used to treat diarrhea. Exercise caution when digestion is weak - in such a case persimmon will make digestion too cold and leave food undigested. Tannins are mildly acidic. When consumed in excess tannins can irritate the stomach. It is often advised that persimmons should not be eaten on an empty stomach. Instead eat them after meals and peel them, since most of the tannic acid is in the peel. Gargle and clean your teeth after eating persimmon lest the tannic acid, pectin and sugar damage your teeth. Avoid eating too many unripened persimmons, which can form a "foodball" or phytobezoar, affixing with other food in the stomach. These phytobezoars are often very hard and almost woody in consistency. They may require medical treatment.

Nutrition information

Persimmon contains high levels of dietary fiber (good laxative), phenols, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese (rebalance electrolytes in fall). They are also rich in vitamin C and beta carotene (supporting the liver = useful for hangovers and too much toxicity). Studies suggest they reduce the risk of atherosclerosis heart attacks and improve lipid metabolism the way the body copes with fat. Their iodine content can help goiter patients. Anemia patients should know that the high tannin content may inhibit iron absorption.

ABOUT PERSIMMONS

Glossy orange-red American Persimmons (Diospyros virginiana) grow wild from the east coast through to the Midwest. Akin to dates, Persimmons are very sweet & gooey. They are too sweet to ferment or rot, and thus perfect for drying. American persimmons are higher in vitamin C and calcium than their Japanese counterpart, which is roughly three times larger.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Persimmons are unpalatably astringent (or "furry" tasting) if eaten before fully ripened.The astringency is due to tannic acid. To minimize furry-ness and maximize sweetness pick wild persimmons off the ground or after the first frost. Unripe persimmons are more orange and hard, whereas ripe ones are more red and soft. The tannins can also be removed by fully ripening the fruit. Artificially expose persimmons to frost by putting them in the freezer, which breaks the cell wall and releases ethylene. Then, expose them to light for several days. Finally place them in a paper bag together with another fruit that releases ethylene (ripening agent) such as apples, pears, or bananas.
Remove the astringent skins and hard seeds by pushing the pulp through a strainer.

COOKING PERSIMMONS

Browse Recipes Persimmons are a favorite, sweet southern food often baked into 'Persimmon Pudding'. Dried persimmons are almost always covered with white 'frost.' This isn't mold, it's the glucose and fructose that has evaporated out and crystalized while the fruit dried.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Are Persimmons Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Persimmons is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main characteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	GOOEY ABOUT GOOEY GUNA Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT GOOEY HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY GUNA Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY COLD ABOUT COLD GUNA Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET GUNA Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	TYPE: Fruits ELEMENT: Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH , Water WATER Resembles water (ap) in quality - fluid, sticky, soft, heavy, stable, cool. LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER COLOR: Red

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Energy Vitality Strength:

Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Heart & Circulation:

Alterative

ALTERATIVE

Literally, an herb that restores the proper function of the body. In practice, alteratives are usually blood cleansers and blood chemistry balancers. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.

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Hemostatic

HEMOSTATIC

An herb that stops bleeding.

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Rebuilds Fluids

REBUILDS-FLUIDS

Herbs or substances that create moisture in the body and increase fluids.

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Refrigerant

REFRIGERANT

An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions.

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Styptic

STYPTIC

A herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used to stop bleeding.

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Liver & Gall Bladder:

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias.

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Lung and Sinus:

Demulcent

DEMULCENT

Herbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

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Bowel-Poop-Elimination:

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...

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High Fiber Laxative

HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE

A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The size of a stool stimulates peristalsis and the stool passes more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydrating.

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Stool Softener

STOOL-SOFTENER

An herb that softens stool that is hard and difficult to pass. They are the safest and most gentle type of laxative. Some foods are even stool softeners, such as warm milk with ghee.

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