Persimmon or Persimmon: differences and nutritional benefits of these fruits

The persimmon or kaki, also known as rosewood or Japanese lotus, is a tree native to Asia. In Spain it is grown throughout the Mediterranean area, especially in the Valencian Community – which has its own Designation of Origin -, although it is also widespread and grows very well in the Region of Murcia and Andalusia.

It is a fruit with many properties. Among them, a high concentration of vitamin C, at the same level as citrus, according to a report published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

It is around September and October when the persimmon fruit begins to change from green to red and orange tones that indicate that they are ready for us to pluck from the branches before the fruit detaches on its own and ends up falling to the ground. and going to waste. Persimmons ripen around the same time as pomegranates, giving the fields in which they are grown a beautiful autumn color.

Not all persimmons grown are the same. In the same way as with most fruits, we can find different varieties such as the ‘fat’ persimmon, the ‘tomatero’ or the ‘picudo’: toyama, hatchiya and kostata, in their eastern names. The ‘gordo’ is the least appreciated for consumption and the least resistant to transport and attacks by pests, while the ‘tomato tree’ is stronger and its fruits are the richest.

Bright Red Persimmon

In addition to the traditional ones, there is another more modern variety, originally from the Valencian Community, and with great success among lovers of this fruit: it is the Rojo Brillante, which with the passage of time and various research that has improved its texture and flavor has gave rise to Persimón, sweeter but smoother, not as soft as persimmon.

Persimón is written with a capital letter because it is the commercial name of a fruit ‘invented’ in Spain, from a variety that was born in the Valencian Community and that was first known as Rojo Gordo and then, Bright Redwith Denomination of Origin (DOP) Ribera del Xúquer.

On the website of the PDO They describe it as a “large-caliber persimmon, with a firm consistency, orange skin and flesh, and crunchy pulp, similar to that of an apple or a peach.” And they specify that “it is not a variety of persimmon, but a registered trademark that identifies persimmons from a PDO.” They also clarify that it is not a transgenic.

The main difference between Persimón and persimmon is that in Persimón – after research by the Valencian Institute of Agrarian Research (IVIA)– It was possible to eliminate the astringency that this fruit presents and that causes an unpleasant sensation when tasting it if it is not taken in a very advanced ripening process. In fact, overripe. Who hasn’t eaten a persimmon by cutting it in half or opening a hole with a spoon?

That is to say, to drink it without paying that scratchy sensation on the tongue as a toll, it had to be picked very ripe. Anyone who has a persimmon tree nearby will know this well. But having to pick them so ripe made their collection and transportation difficult. It was very difficult to handle such soft fruits.

The astringency of persimmon

The astringency of persimmon is due to its high content of tannins – present in other foods such as wine or chocolate, blueberries, loquat or grapes – which cause the coagulation of some proteins; in this case, the mucin which is found in the oral mucosa generating a bitter taste and a sensation of dryness. And only when these tannins overripe do they become insoluble and are no longer perceived.

To eliminate astringency in Persimón, a method is followed: after harvesting it without ripening, it has to be kept for two to four days at about 20ºC in chambers where a specific atmosphere is created, lacking oxygen. “Either by applying ethanol (alcohol), or in chambers where oxygen is extracted and another gas such as carbon dioxide is introduced,” they explain from the DOP.

If you have still unripe persimmons and want to try the process at home, you can follow a more rudimentary but effective procedure: it involves placing the fruits in a container that we can close, such as a large saucepan; In the center of the saucepan we will place a more or less small glass with some type of strong alcoholic drink – such as cognac or cassava – and we will arrange the persimmons around it but without them being in direct contact with the alcohol. We are going to let them mature for a few days, between four and five, and after that time we will try some of the persimmons to check if the astringency has already been eliminated.

Some benefits of its consumption

As we have already mentioned, the persimmon is a fruit with many properties, including its high content of vitamin C. But it is not the only one, we list a few: