Q&A for How to Eat a Persimmon

Persimmons have a decent amount of fiber, and significant amounts of Vitamins A and C, as well as manganese and some other nutrients in smaller amounts. There are also antioxidants in persimmons which may have some positive health effects. Unless you must closely regulate your sugar intake due to a condition like diabetes, persimmons can easily be part of a healthy diet.

Persimmons are a relatively good source of fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin A. Some antioxidants and nutrients found in persimmons may have a positive effect on preventing heart disease and supporting the health of the eye, though the exact effects of these compounds or of eating persimmons on your health is difficult to say.

Yes, as long as the persimmon you're eating is ripe, it should be fine. However, the skin can be more bitter and astringent than the rest of the fruit, so you might not like it as much. If you bite into an astringent persimmon that is not ripe, the skin will be incredibly bitter and this will be an experience you will not soon forget!

If it makes your mouth feel numb, it's probably not ripe enough. "Apple-like" varieties are orange and slightly soft when ripe. Other sweeter types need to be almost mushy (but not rotten) in order for them to be considered ripe.

If you have a hard persimmon, you can put it in the microwave about 25 seconds to soften it. Slice it thinly crosswise so the "star" shows and add to a mixed fruit salad. Very pretty and juicy.

Yes, it will be a delightful addition to a salad, it is quite delicious. And lemon juice is optional, but many people add it for its tangy kick to the sweet, crisp, persimmon. It will help it keep a little longer, but you'll still want to eat the salad relatively quickly.

Kind of like a combination of an acorn squash and a honey crisp apple with a slight impression of orange or tangelo.

You may certainly preserve the hachiya or astringent persimmon by putting it whole in the freezer. This not only ripens hard, unripe persimmons, but allows you to keep them in the freezer as long as you like until you're ready to use them. All that's required is that you take the fruit out on a plate or saucer and allow it to defrost at room temperature, which may take a few hours, but it's worth it when you savor its wonderfully sweet and pudding-like flesh.

The season for persimmons in the northern hemisphere is September through December, though this can vary by region.

It is edible and healthy. However it is recommended that you skin it because the skin is very hard to chew and is not very sweet.

Yes. If you wait until they're very ripe or even overripe, they're very sweet. The flesh is very soft at this point, and it's easiest to cut them in half and eat them with a spoon.

Yes, the seeds are completely edible. They will add a nice crunch to whatever you are eating, and are safe to eat.

Normally they do not. But once in a while a few will ripen off the tree. Others will stay unripened when winter comes.

Persimmons can be pretty acidic, so if you have a sensitive stomach, it may hurt. Try an anti acid, drink water, and reduce consumption of persimmons.

It depends on the size and variety, since stringent varieties of persimmons have more sugar than non-astringent. Overall, I would expect between 20-35 grams of sugar.

Vanilla persimmons are non-astringent, although some stores sell processed ones that are astringent.

Yes. they can be roasted or cooked into many dishes.

Yes.

No! Persimmons are not toxic, with or without other foods.

There are 118 calories in a medium sized persimmon.

Try cutting it up into eighths and eating it like an apple. It tastes nice in a fruit salad and sweet salsa. The skin is edible, but the texture can be grainy. Don’t eat the leaves though.

Yes, but try adding something to it, otherwise it will be dry. It would be better in salads because it is a soft fresh food but it is nice in bread too.

The spots are harmless, related to weather and are only skin-deep. They don't penetrate the flesh and will not affect the cooking or eating quality of the fruit.

No, because it could be contaminated or it could have bugs inside. Even if you do wash it, it may have been contaminated in some other way, especially since the outer shell has been broken.

Yes, you can put persimmon in fruit salad. It goes nicely with pomegranate, kiwifruit and lime.