The Power of Persimmons

Persimmons are native to China but they will happily thrive in any place that has the benefit of good summers and moderate winters meaning that they can also be found in many other places too. Back in the UK persimmons are rather overlooked in the main but if you scout out your more upmarket supermarkets like Sainsbury's and Waitrose or even the exotic fruit sections in Tesco or Asda, you will still be able to find these strange looking fruit.

There are two types of persimmon, Astringent (meaning that the fruit is pretty much inedible until totally ripe) or Non Astringent (where the fruit can be eaten like apples while still hard and unripened)

The most common kind, and the sort that I have growing in my fields every autumn, are the astringent persimmons so these are the ones that I will focus this article on. The reason for their bitter taste when not fully ripe is the high level of tannins that they contain. These tannins however have amazing healing properties when used on small wounds and micro cracks in the skin so even when bitter they aren't all bad!!

Personally I am not overly fond of the gooey texture of fresh ripe persimmons but when made in to jam the unique flavour is hard to beat. On top of this persimmons are incredibly good for you.

They are high in calories but low in fats so a great source of energy and around 100g of persimmons contains around 9.5% of your daily recommended intake of dietary fibre.

Hugely high in antioxidants they are powerful allies in the fight against free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are largely to blame for the aging process and which also play a part in disease processes.

This fruit is also very high in Catechins which are known to be anti infective, anti inflammatory and anti hemorrhagic and also in a substance called betulinic acid which is a key anti tumor compound.

Another substance contained in persimmons is called Zea-xanthin (which I must admit prior to my research on this article I had never even heard of before)

Zea-xanthin, it turns out, is incredibly good for your eyes and is absorbed in to the retinal macula lutea aiding antioxidant and protective light filtering functions and essentially helping to ward off age related eye disease.

As well as containing several of your top priority B vitamin complexes (Folic acid, Thiamin and B6) which all help countless metabolic enzymatic functions, persimmon also contains 15% of your DRI of manganese and 12% of your DRI for copper (essential for maintaining healthy red blood cells)

New studies are even pointing towards persimmon being a super food when it comes to managing your weight!

Because persimmons are loaded with fibre they aid digestion as well as helping you to feel full and they contain a substance called pectin which helps to naturally manage your blood sugar levels, staving off those annoying cravings. Fresh persimmons are also 80% water helping you to stay hydrated and have been used as a natural remedy for centuries to treat common digestive issues such as bloating and constipation helping you to get a flatter tummy. full of nutrients, low in fats and high in energy...

what more could we want right? Well actually there is more and I must admit this is my favourite bit!!...

Persimmons make an absolutely fab rejuvenating face mask for your skin and are suitable for all skin types (as always be sure to do a quick allergy test first just to play it safe)

What makes them so good for your skin?

High in Antioxidants - helps restore youthfulness to tired skin

High in water content - moisturizes and hydrates the skin

Contains Organic acids - rejuvenating and anti inflammatory properties (soothing)

Contains Trace elements - nourishing

Contains Vitamin A, C & P - all vital in maintaining good looking, healthy skin

Persimmon & Oatmeal Rejuvenating Face Mask Recipe

In a medium sized bowl mix together the following ingredients to form a thick smooth paste...

One part persimmon pulp (pulp only so peel your persimmons first)

One part ground oatmeal (I use either a food processor or pestle and mortar to get the consistency that I want as I prefer my face masks smooth not lumpy!!)

1-2 tsp of coconut milk (just enough to form a nice thick smooth paste)

1-2 drops of lavender essential oil (very good for the skin and has relaxing properties when inhaled)

Apply directly to your face in around a 1-2 mm thick coating and leave to dry for 15-20 minutes and remember not to forget about it and get up to answer the door!!.

After this time gently remove the mask from your newly pampered skin with a nice warm cloth.

#Health #Beauty #Recipe #Homestead