Persimmons

Do you like persimmons? We are at the peak of their season now, which will last until early spring. These luscious looking and tasting fruits, also called kaki or Sharon fruit, are native to Japan, China, and Korea but nowadays are also grown in California, South America, Israel, and the south of Europe. 

Quite astringent when unripe but mouth-wateringly sweet and mouth-meltingly delicate when fully ripe, these bright orange fruits are a great source of vitally important nutrients.  Gut-friendly soluble fibre, immune-supporting vitamins A and  C, vital for the nervous system, energy and red blood cell production vitamin B6, blood pressure-regulating potassium, metabolism and bone health-supporting manganese, and a massive quantity of powerful antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids – all contained within that delicate and delectable fruit! Great for heart, bone, and immune health, energy, skin, and – because of their deliciousness and beauty – mood – quite a gift from nature, isn’t it? (But don’t squeeze persimmons too hard when you are handling very ripe ones – you could end up covered in dripping bright orange goo!)

But do you know what is truly exceptional about persimmons? They are always ‘organic’ (unless the tree grows near a busy road or in heavily contaminated soil). The persimmon tree is outstandingly resistant to diseases and parasites, and because of this does not require any treatment with pesticides or other chemicals. Beat that!