Image courtesy of K. Hurley (Flickr)
Dear Friends,
In my family we have been enjoying adding one persimmon per blender while preparing our daily green smoothies. For example, today I made my green smoothie out of one pint of strawberries and one bunch of spinach, plus one fuyu persimmon and two cups of water.
This orange fruit improves the texture and the overall bouquet of flavors in our smoothies. It is now the season for persimmons, so I invite you to take advantage of their many nutritional benefits.
Image courtesy of puarnelia (Flickr)
One amazing nutritional fact about persimmons is provided by the USDA through their adjacent website Nutrition Data. According to the scientific research, persimmons have an amino acid score of 110 (which indicates a complete or high-quality protein).
Persimmons are also high in calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins C and A. Persimmons have been used by traditional Chinese medicine to remedy hiccups. They have been noted to be beneficial for diarrhea, hemorrhiods, lung infections, and asthma.
There are two major types of persimmons:
- Hachiya is the larger variety of persimmon (up to 3 inches in diameter). They are generally heart-shaped, hard and bitter when unripe, but soft, sweet, juicy, and extremely delicious when ripe!
- Fuyu is a smaller variety of persimmon that looks like a tomato. Fuyu appear flatter than Hachiyas. They maintain their sweetness whether they are soft or hard. Fuyus never taste bitter.
Happy persimmon season to you!
“Persimmon in Green Smoothies” republished with permission from the Raw Family blog.
Victoria
Victoria Boutenko is the award-winning author of Green For Life, Green Smoothie Revolution, Raw Family: A True Story of Awakening, 12 Steps to Raw Foods, and Raw Family Signature Dishes. A raw gourmet chef, teacher, inventor, researcher, artist, and a mother of three, she teaches classes on healthy living all over the world. As a result of her teachings, millions of people are drinking green smoothies and eating raw food. Boutenko continues to travel worldwide sharing her green raw cuisine and her inspiring story of determination. She lives in Ashland, Oregon.
