KAKI (SHARON) FRUIT

Persimmons seen most often in the UK are also known as 'kaki'and are East Asian in origin. You may enjoy it crunchy like an apple. Or wait until it fully ripens, it softens to a satiny jelly, the flesh is wonderfully textured with a delightful scent and taste.

Did You Know

• Sharon fruit is named after the Sharon plain in Israel, Sharon fruit is the marketing name for the Israeli bred cultivar of persimmon called “Triumph.”
  

• Sharon fruit is native to Israel, where it has only been in cultivation since sometime in the 1900s. Looking back a little further at the Sharon fruit’s parentage, Japanese persimmons in general are native to China, where they have been cultivated since around 1000 BCE.
  

• Black persimmon is native to Mexico. Its fruit has green skin and white flesh that turns black when it’s ripe.
  

• A solution made of crushed wild persimmons and water is used as a natural, homemade insect repellent.
  

• Compounds isolated from persimmon have anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties.

Health Benefits

• Sharon fruit provide lots of vitamin A and antioxidants that are critical for eye health. In fact, one Sharon fruit delivers 55% of the recommended intake of vitamin A.
  

• Sharon fruit also contain carotenoids, flavonoids and vitamin E, all of which are potent antioxidants that fight inflammation in the body
  

• Sharon fruit are also a good source of thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), folate, magnesium and phosphorus.
  

• Sharon fruit have high fiber content, containing roughly twice as much fiber as an apple, and they are rich in minerals, such as sodium, magnesium, calcium and iron.
  

• Sharon fruit are widely regarded for their high level of beta-carotene, found in both the skin and flesh, making them a great source of vitamins A and C. They are also high in glucose and protein.