Autumn is the best season to eat persimmons. Whether it's fresh persimmons or various foods made from persimmons, autumn is the best time to enjoy them. Many people love to eat persimmons because of their unique flavor, rich nutrition, and high medicinal value. Therefore, persimmons have become a favorite among the general public.
Benefits of eating persimmons:
1. Clears heat and relieves cough:
The white powder on dried persimmons has the effects of clearing heat and moisturizing dryness, resolving phlegm and relieving cough. It has obvious effects on symptoms such as lung heat cough, sore throat and dry throat, and mouth ulcers.
2. To relieve cough and lower qi:
Persimmon calyx has a good therapeutic effect on hiccups, nausea, whooping cough, and nocturia;
3. Lowers blood pressure, stops bleeding, and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects:
Persimmon leaf tea, when consumed regularly, can enhance metabolism, promote urination and defecation, purify the blood, revitalize body tissues and cells, and is also beneficial for stabilizing and lowering blood pressure, softening blood vessels, preventing arteriosclerosis, and reducing inflammation.
4. Suitable for people with thyroid disorders:
Fresh persimmons are high in iodine, and eating persimmons can be beneficial for patients with goiter.
5. Prevents and treats constipation, hemorrhoids, etc.
Eating dried persimmons can regulate the stomach and intestines, and is beneficial for preventing and treating constipation and hemorrhoid bleeding.
While persimmons offer many health benefits, it's important to remember some precautions when eating them:
1. Do not eat persimmons on an empty stomach. Because persimmons contain a lot of tannic acid and pectin, when eaten on an empty stomach, these substances will form hard lumps of varying sizes under the action of stomach acid. If these lumps cannot pass through the pylorus to the small intestine, they will remain in the stomach and form bezoars. If bezoars cannot be expelled naturally, they will cause intestinal obstruction, resulting in symptoms such as severe upper abdominal pain, vomiting, and even hematemesis.
2. Do not eat persimmon peel. Most of the tannins in persimmons are concentrated in the peel. It is impossible to remove all the tannins when the persimmon is being processed to remove astringency. Eating the peel along with the persimmon makes it easier to form bezoars in the stomach.
3. Proper food pairing. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, both crab and persimmon are considered cold-natured foods and therefore should not be eaten together. From a modern medical perspective, the high protein content of crab, fish, and shrimp, under the influence of tannic acid, can easily coagulate into lumps, known as bezoars in the stomach. Furthermore, persimmons should not be eaten after drinking alcohol, as this can impair digestion and, over time, lead to intestinal obstruction.
4. Individual Needs Consideration: Persimmons contain 10.8% sugar, mostly simple disaccharides and monosaccharides, which are easily absorbed and can cause a spike in blood sugar. This is especially harmful for diabetics, particularly those with poorly controlled blood sugar. Furthermore, those with diarrhea, loose stools, general weakness, postpartum women, or those suffering from colds or flu should avoid persimmons. Those with chronic gastritis, delayed gastric emptying, indigestion, or other conditions resulting in low gastric motility, as well as those who have undergone partial gastrectomy, should also avoid them.
5. Moderation is key. The tannins in persimmons can combine with minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron in food to form compounds that the body cannot absorb, preventing the utilization of these nutrients. Therefore, eating too many persimmons can easily lead to a deficiency of these minerals. Furthermore, because persimmons are high in sugar, people feel fuller after eating them than after eating the same amount of apples or pears, which can affect appetite and reduce the intake of regular meals. Generally, it is recommended that, when not on an empty stomach, one should not eat more than 200 grams of persimmons at a time.
