[NAFEX] questions about [American] persimmons

Jwlehman at aol.com Jwlehman at aol.com
Wed Oct 15 11:36:08 EDT 2008


In a message dated 10/14/2008 6:01:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
lonrom at hevanet.com writes:

> The condition is called a bezoar.  It's real.  It's a concretion of  skins 
> and seeds, though you have to eat a LOT of them.  I've heard it's most common 
> among hunters who eat wild persimmons while they are in the woods and 
> include a lot of partially ripe ones.    

I'd like to add two more points. 
1. A contributing factor of the danger without doors man eating them is the 
lack of stomach liquid (water) at the time of eating, aiding the astringency to 
bind the mass thus helping form a bezoar. In Lee Reich's book, "Uncommon 
Fruits Worthy of Attention," he writes of the chemical compound leucodelphinidin 
in astringent persimmons. This compound tends to bond proteins and well as 
absorb moisture, therefore the harsh choking experience when biting into a very 
astringent persimmon. This same bonding and absorbing of moisture is a factor to 
forming bezoars. If one is eating a quaintly of whole persimmons don't eat 
the seeds, avoid eating the skin especially from the calyx area which usually 
carries a higher degree of astringency and if possible drink plenty of water.  
Best just to eat juicy very ripe persimmons. 

2. Defending our friend Dr. Parmar, who states, "No, not true at all.  I eat 
a lot of persimmons every season.  I do not peel the fruits nor I have seen 
these being peeled by anyone even in Japan."  I believe the danger is much less 
if eating D. kaki, especially the non-astringent  varieties which is the 
primary persimmon species in India. Chiranjit, please correct me if I'm wrong. 

Jerry

PS. I know of no actual cases of persimmon bezoars, first hand. I don't 
consider it a grave danger, but if one forms there is only one cure, surgery.      



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