The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (10 page)

The common, or American, persimmon is native to the eastern United States and is one of the Virginia foods described by Captain John Smith in 1612. Red-orange in color, persimmons are a good source of antioxidants and carotenes, vitamins A and C, and both soluble and insoluble fiber.

The Japanese persimmon originated in China and is grown throughout Asia, as well as in California. Larger than the American version, it contains many of the nutrients of its American cousin but has less vitamin C and calcium per gram. Asian persimmon varieties are divided into two groups: astringent and non-astringent. Astringent persimmons (such as the Hachiya) are high in tannins, which can serve as antioxidants but also render unripe fruit inedible. The non-astringent varieties (such as the Fuyu) contain fewer tannins and lose them earlier in the ripening process, so these pears can be consumed either while still firm or when soft.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the Japanese persimmon is believed to regulate ch'i, the vital energy. Raw, they are used to treat constipation. Cooked, they are used to treat diarrhea. Some varieties are high in the antioxidant tannins catechin and gallocatechin.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (AMERICAN PERSIMMON)
One medium raw American persimmon provides 32 calories, 8.4 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 1.6 g dietary fiber, 17 mg vitamin C, 78 mg potassium, 7 mg calcium, and 7 mg phosphorus.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (JAPANESE PERSIMMON)
One medium raw Japanese persimmon provides 118 calories, 31.2 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 0.03 g fat, 6 g dietary fiber, 12.6 mg vitamin C, 270 mg potassium, 13 mg calcium, and 29 mg phosphorus.

UNRIPE PERSIMMONS

Unripe persimmons contain a tannin called shibuol that can contribute to the unusual medical problem called a bezoar. The tannin combines with the acid in the stomach to become a kind of glue, which can then collect fruit seeds, skins, and fiber, forming a lump that may need to be surgically removed.

Choose persimmons that have good, bright color and whole, shiny skins with no cracks or leaks. Fully ripe persimmons will feel thin-skinned and full of juice. Handle them carefully.

American persimmons are native to eastern North America and can even be found wild from Virginia to Wisconsin. Because freezing helps to ripen the fruit, American persimmons can be harvested from September through December, even after frost. Persimmon festivals are held in North Carolina and Illinois in November, and in Indiana in late September.

Japanese persimmons have been grown in California since the 19th century, and their season is slightly longer than that of the American version. Orange County, California, holds a persimmon festival in November, celebrating the California fruits. Japanese immigrants brought with them a traditional method of drying per-simmons that results in a dried fruit called
hoshigaki.
Dried persimmons are also available in other, less specialized forms.

Persimmons can go from ripe to overripe in a very short period of time, so enjoy ripe persimmons within a day or two, or buy persimmons that are still firm and ripen them at room temperature in a paper bag. Once they are ripe, store them in the refrigerator. Take advantage of the fact that persimmons can be ripened by freezing: Freeze them overnight, then thaw them for eating. This “ripening” also converts the tannins to a more edible form.

Because ripe persimmons are so fragile, specialty farmers and some food stores carry canned or frozen persimmon pulp for year-round use.

Livit Recipe

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 cups nonfat vanilla yogurt

2 persimmons, peeled and cut into 16 thin slices

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup low-fat granola

• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and yogurt until they are well blended.

• Set out four 8-ounce dessert glasses. Spoon ¼ cup of the sugared yogurt mixture into each glass. Layer each with 4 persimmon slices, 2 tablespoons of the raspberries, and 2 tablespoons of the granola. Repeat the layers, finishing with granola. Serve immediately.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
276 calories, 57 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 2 g fat, 4 g dietary fiber

Pineapples are another food, like papayas, that contains an enzyme that breaks down proteins. In the case of pineapples, the enzyme is bromelain. In addition to making pineapple a good meat tenderizer, bromelain helps block some metabolic products that contribute to inflammation, making it a good anti-inflammatory. Isolated bromelain has been used to treat sports injuries, digestive problems, swelling, and other problems involving inflammation. Its action on proteins has also been found to reduce blood clots, especially in arteries.

Pineapple is a good source of manganese, vitamin B
₁
, and vitamin C.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of raw pineapple pieces provides 76 calories, 8.4 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 2.3 g dietary fiber, 17 mg vitamin C, 78 mg potassium, 7 mg calcium, and 7 mg phosphorus.

Pineapples don't ripen after they are picked, so don't expect that a hard or too-green pineapple will improve. A ripe pineapple should smell sweet, especially at the stem end. Avoid fruit with soft spots, bruises, or dark spots. Also steer clear of any that smell musty, sour, or fermented.

Pineapple will keep at room temperature for a day or two. To keep it for more than two days, wrap it in plastic and store it in the refrigerator, or cut up the pineapple and refrigerate the chunks in an airtight container. Adding a little juice to the container will help the cut pieces stay moist and juicy.

Pineapple's sweetness can raise blood glucose levels fairly quickly—so balance it out with a handful of nuts to provide more fiber and protein.

Livit Recipe

See Safe Handling of Poultry on page 211.

Rice

2¼ cups water

1 cup brown rice

Chicken in marinade

1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar (not seasoned)

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

Sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1½ tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1½ tablespoons cornstarch

Assembly

1 small carrot, thinly sliced into diagonal strips

1 red bell pepper, chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

1 small head bok choy, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 1 cup)

2 to 3 ounces snow peas (about 1 cup)

½ cup sliced green onions

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 cup canned unsweetened pineapple chunks

•
To prepare the rice:
Bring water to a boil in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. When the water has come to a boil, add the rice. Bring the water back to a boil, stir, and then reduce heat until the rice is just simmering. Cover and cook for 50 minutes to an hour, until the kernels begin to open. While the rice is cooking, prepare the other ingredients.

•
To prepare the chicken in marinade:
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger. Put the chicken and the marinade into a plastic zipper bag. Seal and refrigerate until it's time to stir-fry.

•
To prepare the sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and corn starch. Set the sauce aside.

•
To assemble the dish:
Prepare the carrot, bell pepper, bok choy, snow peas, and green onions before you start cooking, each in a separate container, so that they can be added to the pan individually, at just the right time. One of the secrets to good stir-frying is to cook each item only as long as it needs to be cooked.

• In a large wok or deep, wide frying pan, heat ½ tablespoon of the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrot slices and red pepper squares and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and pineapple and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the snow peas and onions and stir-fry for 1 additional minute. Transfer all vegetables from the wok to a large bowl and set them aside.

• Return the wok to the burner. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of peanut oil and the chicken cubes. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. It should be white or lightly browned with no traces of pink. Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute more.

• Whisk the sauce mixture until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add the sauce to the wok and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring gently, about 1 additional minute, until the sauce thickens and becomes clear and shiny. Serve over prepared brown rice.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
(with
cup brown rice) 257 calories, 35 g carbohydrate, 17 g protein, 5 g fat, 4 g dietary fiber

PURPLE—THE HEALTHIEST COLOR?

The color in purple fruits and vegetables comes from a group of powerful anti-oxidant pigments called anthocyanins, and research strongly suggests that the health benefits of eating purple foods such as berries are also due, at least in part, to the same anthocyanins.

These purple pigments have shown potential in the laboratory to fight cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, and even bacterial infections. In cancer research, anthocyanins have been shown to inhibit the growth and proliferation of several types of cancer cells, via a variety of mechanisms, including causing cancer cells to die faster, reducing the inflammations that may spark their production, slowing the growth of the blood vessels to the tumors, and minimizing the damage to healthy cells' DNA. Research continues to confirm the potential for these compounds to contribute to health and long life in humans.

Purple fruits and vegetables include blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries, black currants, plums, elderberries, bilberries, figs, raisins, eggplants, purple carrots, purple cabbage, beets, and pomegranates.

Plums grow in many parts of the world, including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. More than 140 types of plums are available in the United States. Varieties that originated in Europe tend to be purple-skinned, but there are other varieties that are white-, yellow-, green-, or red-skinned. Inside, the flesh of plums can be white, green, orange, purple, pink, black, or red. The more purple the plum, the more anthocyanins it is likely to contain, and the more purple parts will be richest in them—so eat the skins! But plums have lots of other nutritional value as well. They are a good source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C, lutein, and beta-carotene. Plums are also a significant source of the trace mineral boron, which is helpful in converting calcium to bone and may therefore play a role in preventing osteoporosis.

Plums, along with prunes, have earned their reputation as a remedy for constipation. In addition to a healthy dose of fiber, they contain sugars, including sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that draws water from the intestine to produce a laxative effect, and isatin. Some sources say that most of the sorbitol and isatin is in the plum skin and advise peeling the fruit to avoid this side effect.

Although plums are quite sweet, they don't cause blood sugar to spike, probably because of the fiber, fructose, and sorbitol that all contribute to slowing down absorption of the sugars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One medium raw plum provides 36 calories, 8.6 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g protein, 0.4 g fat, 0.9 g dietary fiber, 213 IU vitamin A, 6 mg vitamin C, 1 mcg folic acid, 114 mg potassium, 3 mg calcium, 7 mg phosphorus, and 5 mg magnesium.

Fresh plums are available all summer, from May through October. Plums do not ripen much after picking, so buy them ripe and eat them within a day or two. They will keep at room temperature for only a day or two, slightly longer if refrigerated.

A good, ripe plum has a rich color and a smooth, full-feeling, intact skin with no holes, bruises, soft spots, or leakage. Plums may have a whitish, slightly waxy substance on the skin: This is called “bloom” and is a sign that the fruit has not been over-handled. The darkest purple plums, like Black Friars, have the most anthocyanins, but other colors may have more carotenes. Choose a variety of plums throughout the season for the most benefit.