Dried persimmons: benefits and harms to the body

Our diet consists of various vegetables and fruits. The last ones may be of local origin or brought from tropical countries. Many mistakenly believe that all bright fruits are considered exotic. These misconceptions apply to persimmons, a bright sunny fruit with a sweet-tart taste. This juicy berry, and this is how it should be called correctly, provides the body with a whole complex of vitamins, and they are also well preserved in dried form. Unlike a fresh fruit, dried persimmon is available all year round, which is its main advantage.

Composition and calorie content

Juicy persimmon with its bright cheerful color is a natural source of vitamins and minerals that enrich the body, charging it with energy. The composition of this large fruit includes:

• macro- and microelements;
• polysaccharide (glucose and fructose);
• carotene;
• alimentary fiber;
• antioxidants;
• organic acids (malic and citric);
• a whole complex of vitamins, the main of which is vitamin C.

Most of all, persimmon contains potassium (200 mg) and calcium (120 mg). In second place are magnesium and phosphorus, the content of which is 50 mg each. Due to this composition, this fruit is often compared with seafood, which are known for their beneficial properties for the body.

With such a rich composition, persimmon is very low in calories: only 67 kcal per 100 grams of product. As a bonus - a complete lack of cholesterol.

It is interesting! From Latin, the name of the fruit is translated as "divine fire." And the Russian name of the fruit has deep roots in the Farsi language, in which it means "date plum." This name originally applied only to a certain variety of fruits growing in the Caucasus, and subsequently spread to all others.

What is the use of dried persimmon

Regular use of the fetus enriches with active elements that have a beneficial effect on the body. The valuable natural properties of dried persimmon were among the first to be noticed by the ancient Chinese, who began to use it in folk medicine. Each element contained in the product is responsible for “its” function:

1. The enzymes that make up persimmons help to reduce the level of oxidation caused by alcohol intake, thereby eliminating its negative effect on organs.
2. The fetus has a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract, reducing the likelihood of bleeding in diseases such as hemorrhoids.
3. Due to its high potassium content, persimmon increases vascular tone, having a positive effect on blood circulation.
4. Dried fruit is recommended as an anti-inflammatory agent for colds, which is accompanied by a strong cough.
5. Dried persimmons contain rare betulinic acid, which is known for its ability to fight cancer and block the growth of cancer cells.
6. Shredded dried fruit can treat skin lesions. It acts as a natural antiseptic.
7. The fruit is great for cleansing the body, removes toxins and toxins in a natural way. This makes the product indispensable for people who want to adhere to a healthy diet.
8. The immunity of the body is well strengthened due to the high content of vitamin C, which helps to maintain health even during an exacerbation of viral diseases.

In addition to all of the above, dried persimmon helps to regulate the sugar and cholesterol levels, lowering their level, which favorably affects the health of blood vessels and the body as a whole.

Useful properties of dried persimmon for weight loss

Low calorie content of the product along with its nutritional value allows you to include it in the menu for weight loss. Dried fruits can be consumed as a healthy snack, recommended for diet food. In addition, there are whole weight loss courses with this bright fruit.

You can use persimmon at any time of the day, it is especially good for breakfast, as it will energize the body for the whole day. This fruit is also suitable for fasting days, as it quickly saturates, dulling the feeling of hunger. It is recommended to do such days no more than once a week, so as not to harm the body. Only high-quality fruits should be consumed, especially if they make up the main diet. For one fasting day you will need 1 kg of fruit and 1 liter of fat-free kefir. The whole set is divided into 5 meals, so that food in a small amount more often enters the body.

Important! Use dried persimmons as a separate snack, not combining with the main meal. A large amount of fructose will complicate the digestion process if it occurs on a full stomach.

If we are not talking about mono-diet, then you can add a useful fruit to the regular menu:

1. Breakfast includes oatmeal with slices of dried persimmon.
2. For lunch, a little cottage cheese will do.
3. For lunch, you can prepare a light soup with chicken stock and vegetable salad.
4. After 2 hours, make a snack with dried fruits.
5. Dinner may consist of vegetable stew and one boiled egg.

Such a diet will help not only lose extra pounds, but also saturate the body with the beneficial elements contained in the fetus.

Dried persimmon in medicine

1. Dried persimmon is widely used as an adjunct in the fight against a number of diseases, and it is also prescribed in many diets during the rehabilitation process.
2. Eating dried fruit is recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems. It is also prescribed for poor stool, which is accompanied by diarrhea.
3. Regular use improves blood circulation in the brain, which has a positive effect on the organs of vision. Therefore, with vision problems, it is advised to constantly use dried persimmons.
4. This fruit is especially useful for pregnant women. It enriches the body with valuable iron and fiber, which is extremely important during this period, combats anemia and constipation, which often worry women during the period of bearing a child.
5. Healing infusions and balms are often used on dried fruits, which are used for coughing and hemorrhoids.

The use of dried persimmon in cooking

Dried persimmons can perfectly replace sweets for lovers of sweets, saturate the body with useful fructose. Often the fruit is used as an additive to various desserts. The fruit is cut into small pieces and mixed with ice cream, cream, soufflé or used as a decoration when serving a meal.

The product is suitable for the preparation of fragrant pies and rolls, acting as a filling. And one of the most delicious recipes for cooks is cottage cheese cottage cheese with the addition of dried fruit, cut into small slices. It turns out quite an original taste and beautiful appearance.

Dried persimmons are often added to sweet pilaf along with raisins and dried apricots, frying fruits in butter along with onions. It is also used as an independent sweet dish along with tea, especially with green.

Persimmon in meat dishes
Persimmons are also used to prepare meat dishes; it is especially well combined with chicken. One of the common recipes is chicken fillet rolls with persimmon filling.The chicken fillet is beaten, cut into thin slices, slightly fried on both sides, then a slice of persimmon is wrapped in each piece. Ready-made rolls are stewed for 15 minutes. Served with olives, which are pinned with skewers, so rolls do not break up.

Harm and contraindications

Do not abuse the sweet fruit in certain categories of people, namely:

1. Patients with diabetes. The fruit contains a large amount of fructose and sucrose, which can harm health and cause complications in the acute form of the disease.
2. Suffering from pancreatic diseases, especially during exacerbation or after surgery.
3. Children under 3 years old. This can trigger stomach upsets and allergic reactions.
4. Women during lactation. You should carefully introduce dried fruits into your diet, observing the child’s reaction to new foods. It is better to start with 2 pieces per day, gradually increasing the dose, but not more than 4.
5. Allergies. Persimmon is not suitable for individual intolerance by the body of the individual elements that make up its composition, especially for those substances that are present in large quantities.

How to choose and store dried persimmons

It is better to buy or harvest persimmons in dried form, since the product has a more useful composition, a pleasant taste without an astringent effect and is stored for a long time. When buying a product in its finished form, it is worth paying attention to the main sign of a quality product, namely, a uniform white coating. If it is present on the selected fruit, you should make sure that it is not erased. This can happen if the fruits were simply sprinkled with starch or flour to attract consumers.

The second thing you should pay attention to is the condition of the fetus. It should be soft and supple, like rubber.

To store dried whole fruits, it is recommended to cut the stem, after which they can be stored in a glass container with a tightly closed lid, putting it in a dark cabinet. A freezer is also suitable, in which persimmons, both whole and chopped, are placed in disposable bags. The temperature is set no more than -5 degrees. Thus, the fruits can be stored for 6 months.

Why dried persimmon with a white coating

White uniform coating indicates that you have a natural product, dried by the correct method. He retained all his wonderful properties. Proper plaque is the sugar that appeared during the drying of the fruit, and it must remain on the skin without rubbing. This is the main feature by which dried persimmon is selected.

How to dry persimmons at home

To take advantage of the opportunity to eat fruits all year round, various ways of drying them were invented, which perfectly preserve not only the taste, but also the beneficial properties of the product. Persimmon, being a berry by nature, is also suitable for freezing, becoming then the basis of vitamin compotes and soft drinks. But a more traditional method of preserving this fruit is drying. So do with dried apricots, prunes and raisins. In addition to preserving all the properties, drying helps rid the fruits of their inherent astringency.

Different types of persimmons are suitable for drying, both tart and not. When choosing, attention should be paid to the degree of maturity of the fetus; it should not be soft. You need to choose only unripe solid fruits, but the size does not matter. The next criterion is a homogeneous surface texture, without scratches and microcracks, absolutely smooth and not pressed down. Another important detail: for drying, fruits with a dry peduncle, which fits snugly against the fruit, are suitable.A green or worse rotten peduncle indicates product spoilage.

Persimmon can be dried naturally or using special equipment.

Method 1 For drying in natural conditions, you need a dry room with good ventilation and without access to sunlight, which will dry the product, destroying all the useful elements. You can dry both in sliced ​​form and completely whole fruits of a small size. They are wrapped around the leg with a strong thread and hung around the room at a sufficient distance from each other for good air circulation. The whole process will take 2 weeks. If everything goes right, by the end of 1 week the fruits will cover with a white coating. This came to the surface of sugar, which is considered an indicative factor of properly dried persimmons.

Method 2 The most popular drying method that you can use at home is to make fruit using an oven. It is better if it is an electric device that guarantees a constant temperature, without jumps, as when using gas stoves. For this, persimmon needs to be selected ripe, but firm enough, washed and cut into slices 2 mm wide. Then put on a baking sheet covered with parchment. In advance, prepare lemon juice at the rate of 2 pieces per half kilogram of persimmon. Squeeze juice and strain. Before sending the fruits into the oven, sprinkle them with lemon juice so that they do not darken, while maintaining a beautiful appetizing appearance. The temperature in the oven should be 90 degrees. Drying lasts 2-3 hours. A thin crust that appears on pieces of persimmon will testify to readiness.

Do I need to wash dried persimmons before use?

If the fruits were harvested independently and pre-processed, then you do not need to wash them immediately before eating. It is recommended to pour over the purchased version with boiling water before use in order to kill all the microbes that are invariably present in such products. Many are safe and carefully soak persimmons before eating them. This is an effective method that will well protect against bacteria.

If the product is used for cooking with heat treatment, such manipulations are not necessary. All germs die when exposed to high temperatures.

How to make dried persimmon compote

From the fruits you can make a tasty and very healthy drink. Due to its tonic effect, it is suitable for use in the summer. In winter, it will warm and saturate the body, weakened in this period.

Recipe 1

For cooking, you will need the following ingredients:

• dried persimmon - 800–900 g;
• pure filtered water - 2 l;
• granulated sugar - 200 g.

The first stage is the preparation of the syrup, for this you need to mix sugar with water, and put on a minimum fire, bring to a boil. Then add persimmon and cook for 5-7 minutes. Let it brew, after which it is ready to drink. Serve hot or chilled to your liking.

Recipe 2

An excellent warming drink in the winter is persimmon compote with ginger. Alcohol and herbs are traditionally added to it, getting an excellent drink for walking on a frosty day. For cooking, you need a set of products consisting of:

• dried persimmons;
• lemon juice;
• rum or other alcohol;
• ginger
• spicy herbs (cinnamon and cloves).

Cooking also begins with sugar syrup, where cloves and cinnamon are added, as well as lemon zest. All this is cooked on minimum heat for 20-30 minutes. Then the remains of herbs and zest are carefully removed, persimmon is added. The drink is boiled for another 5 minutes and covered with a lid for insisting. Before use, alcohol is optionally added. This is an excellent prophylactic for hypothermia and against colds.

You can save the compote by spilling it on sterilized jars. The recipe also welcomes experiments with various combinations of products that can be added according to your taste.

Interesting facts about persimmons

1. Persimmon is a representative of the ebony family, whose varieties grow around the world in the amount of 1,500 thousand species. Almost all of them require special climatic conditions, such as the tropics. In our region, only 3 species of this family can be grown, namely, the Caucasian, Eastern and Virgin varieties.
2. Oriental variety came to us from China in transit through France. For the first time this variety appeared there in the 18th century, and then spread to other Mediterranean countries. Oriental persimmon is considered one of the oldest varieties of fruit plants. It turned out by natural crossing of wild-growing trees.
3. Persimmon or American, as it is often called, persimmon "considers" North America as its homeland. This is one of the most valuable varieties with medicinal properties. It is widely used in medicine and cosmetology, acting as a natural tool for fighting bacteria. It is this variety that is recommended for people with urological diseases.
4. The Caucasian variety takes pride of place among citrus fruits in its taste and medicinal properties. It is an indispensable supplier of copper and phosphorus, which nourish and cleanse the vessels of the brain.
5. Countries in which dried persimmon is regularly present in the diet, acting as an indispensable component of traditional dishes, organize festivals in honor of it. This kind of festivities takes place annually in South Korea, which is considered one of the largest suppliers of delicious treats. A large number of different varieties of persimmons grow in this country. Various events with the participation of the main character are being prepared for the guests of the festival, offering to learn the subtleties of proper cleaning and hanging of fruits. You can take part in song and game contests, make useful foot baths based on fruit, or just purchase a wide variety of persimmons for sale. And also try the wonderful Korean punch, which is famous far beyond the borders of the country.
6. Dried persimmons in Japan are used as an independent dish. The inhabitants of this country appreciate healthy products and know how to use them correctly in order to prolong their youth and health. The Japanese name for Hoshigaki fruit translates as a candy enriched with healthy vitamins. It is traditionally served with tea in an ancient tea ceremony ritual. In the Land of the Rising Sun, almost everyone is engaged in drying this fruit, this is a kind of island tradition. The process requires perseverance and patience, which is a distinctive feature of the country's inhabitants. Chinese and Japanese varieties dominate the market due to their excellent taste and high content of vitamin C.

In order for dried persimmon to bring maximum benefits to the body, you should carefully consider the choice of the finished product, buying it only from trusted manufacturers. And it’s better to try to cook these aromatic and very nutritious dried fruits yourself, preserving the vitamin component.

Photo of dried persimmons