Surprisingly, the persimmon, the tasty fruit with its roots in China and Japan, may be better for you than an apple.
In a recent head-to-head comparison, persimmons had twice as much fiber and much higher levels of manganese, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium than apples. Other recent studies demonstrating the value of persimmons:
- Eating a persimmon, chock full of beneficial antioxidants, may fight heart disease by preventing LDL cholesterol from accumulating in the arteries.
- Consuming persimmons and other fruits lowered the occurrence of precancerous colon polyps in women by more than half.
Despite the obvious benefits, it's wise to consume fruits with caution. Eating too many of them will cause a spike in your insulin levels, and can lead to chronic disease.
In fact, you'll enjoy much of the same nutritional benefits from eating vegetables that are typically much lower in sugar but are still excellent sources of antioxidants and other nutrients.
Health September 2005