Persimmons come in so many different varieties which lend themselves to slightly different colors and flavors but rest assured it will always be one of my favorite fall/winter favorites. With its short production season these delicious little fruits are great as jams, added to smoothies, paired with a protein for an afternoon snack, beautiful on charcuterie boards and so on. There are two main varieties, Fuyu and Hachiya. Last year we had a plethora of chocolate persimmons grace our stores which had brown spots on the skin and slightly sweeter than normal. The Fuyu had a short, stacked body much like a beefsteak tomato and you can eat it just like you would a piece of fruit, although traditionally it's common to serve it without the skin. As a dietitian I’m all about lowering prep time, decreasing food waste, and increasing nutrition. Hachiya’s look more like a large roma tomato and are mostly bitter until they are perfectly ripe. As our team to help you pick one if you are ever confused! If you want to ripen it at home, place it next to a banana and wait until it's soft.
According to the USDA, 1 persimmon comes in around 32 calories, 78mg potassium, 8g carbohydrate, 27% of your daily value of vitamin C, and 3% of your daily value of iron. This powerhouse fruit is definitely something to have on your winter shopping list.