Persimmons: To Know Them is to Love Them!

Most people fall into one of three camps where persimmons are concerned:

1. What the heck is a persimmon?
2. Oh, I think I saw one of those at the store the other day…it looks like an orange tomato, right?
3. Persimmons are amazing! I adore them! Yum yum yum!

So maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but the point is, to know this uncommon fruit is to love it. But in case you don’t yet know it, here’s a quick primer:

About:

Persimmons are the edible fruit of the Diospyros tree, which is aptly translated: “divine fruit.” There are several edible varieties of the fruit, but the two most common cultivars are the fuyu and the hachiya.

The fuyu persimmon is shaped much like a tomato, and is most often sliced and served raw. When ripe, they have an orange, pumpkin-like color inside and out, with a flavor reminiscent of pears, dates, and brown sugar. Although fuyus can be enjoyed at different stages, they become softer and sweeter as they ripen.

Hachiya persimmons are more oblong or acorn-shaped, and are either used for baking or eaten raw only when extremely ripe. A ripe hachiya persimmon is melt-in-your-mouth good, and well worth the wait! Tip: you’ll want to wait until it feels almost like liquid inside the skin before enjoying!

Health Benefits:

One medium persimmon has 118 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and over 50 percent of your daily value of vitamin A. This fat free fruit is also a great source of vitamin C and manganese, which improves nutrient utilization, helps keeps bones strong, and maintains thyroid health.

So next time you pass by a display of persimmons at the grocery store, why not pick one up? We’d love to hear what you think of this seasonal fruit! They won’t be around much longer…

Image Credit: Arlette/Flickr