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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
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.
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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT
Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances.
With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you.
Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature.
By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health.
See How it Works.
Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics
(gunas).
Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance.
By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick.
Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold).
You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.
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?
Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types
(doshas),
are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia.
They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature.
Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.
Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.
Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.
Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.
Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Persimmons
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.
STRONG HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE
A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The large size of the stool stimulates peristalsis so the stool can pass more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydr
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
A herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used topically as a hemostatic to stop bleeding, or to reduce secretions.
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. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene.
Persimmons may be beneficial for these symptoms.
The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual.
Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.
We will use this information to better predict food that helps you.
CONTRAINDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS
Persimmons may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms.
Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications.
Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.
Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when
right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in
Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire
reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once
you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a
healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda.
His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.
John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda,
offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.
John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy,
& botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.
John, his wife Natalie and their 7 kids live in Asheville, NC
“Does this information apply only to the American variety? The only ones I'm able to obtain are the asian type 'Fuyu' and 'Hachiya'. I've read that these both are heating, sweet, and astringent."
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
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Comments and reviews
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.
