by Erin D Marion - Published 6 months ago

Fruit for Healthy Metabolism & Blood Pressure

Korean folktales reflect the long-standing culture of the Korean people, their thoughts and dreams about nature, and the relationship between humans and nature.

One of my favorite folktales is the "Tiger and Persimmon" because tigers in Korea are a symbol of strength and power and are often seen as a guardian spirit.

Persimmons are a beloved sweet treat in Korea, but they also hold deep meaning as a Buddhist symbol of transformation. Green, bitter fruits transform into bright orange, sweet nectar. Persimmons are an important ritual fruit in Korea, dating back to Jongka ancestral rituals, where people pray to the gods for a rich harvest.

Folk Tale: The Tiger and Persimmon

In the middle of the night, a tiger sneaks into a village to steal a cow. At the same time, a burglar is also trying to steal a cow. Throughout the night, a child cries non-stop. Even when his mother threatens him with a big, scary tiger, the child keeps crying.

Suddenly, the tiger hears the child's mother offering the child a persimmon. "Here's a dried persimmon," she says, and the child stops crying. The tiger is surprised and amused, wondering how a dried persimmon could stop a child from crying.

The tiger wonders if the persimmon is more frightening than him, since he couldn't scare the child. At the same time, the burglar, mistaking the tiger for a cow, jumps onto the tiger's back. Scared, the tiger runs out of the village with the burglar on his back, believing it was the dried persimmon that was frightening.

The story teaches us that mischief (the tiger) and corruption (the burglar) will not succeed if kindness, like the persimmon tree, is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Persimmons, known as "gam" in Korean, have been a part of Eastern medicine for centuries, used for treating ailments and are a cherished food in Korean culture. They are rich in antioxidants, which protect against oxidative damage and stress. Due to their high beta-carotene content, persimmons are beneficial for maintaining healthy eyesight, a vital nutrient for vision and cell growth.

Persimmon (gam)

Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros kaki
Common names: Sharon fruit, kaki
Parts used: Fruit, leaves
Effective qualities: Sweet, mild, rich
Native region: East Asia
Constituents: Folate, phosphorus, calcium, phytochemicals, flavonoid oligomers, tannins, phenolic acids, carotenoids.
Properties: Anthelmintic, antihemorrhagic, antitussive, astringent, laxative, expectorant, restorative, antioxidant
Indicated uses: Constipation, diarrhea, coughs
Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and B; potassium; manganese; high in beta-carotene, which lowers the risk of heart disease and certain cancers
Preparation: Persimmons are commonly enjoyed as a dessert fruit. The calyx (outer covering of the fruit) is used for medicinal purposes. Fresh persimmon juice is also used to lower blood pressure.

A Note of Caution

How to Pick and Prepare Persimmons

Selecting the ideal persimmon requires practice, starting with understanding the three varieties. All are nutrient-rich, but they differ in texture, size, and taste.

Dan-gam (Fuyu) are yellow-orange, shaped like tomatoes. These are firm, non-astringent, and taste sweet. Dan-gam are excellent for salads or dried into slices for a healthy snack.

Hongsi (soft persimmon) is sweet, soft, and squishy with thin skin. It has a purée-like texture and is used as a sweetener in baking or cooking. When shopping for them, choose fruit that is plump but not too firm, with bright orange-colored skin free from blemishes.

Shaped like large orange-red acorns, Daebong-gam (Hachiya) are astringent and often dried into gotgam, also known as hosigaki in Japan. Timing is crucial when drying persimmons, as the perfect ripeness for drying can quickly pass, turning them too ripe and mushy. Drying them too early leads to a bitter, chalky taste.

Similar to life's timing, there's a specific window of ripeness and opportunity with persimmons that can slip away if we are not attentive to our surroundings.

Persimmon Leaf Tea (gamipcha)

Makes 4 cups (946 milliliters)

Ingredients:

4 cups (946 milliliters) water

Instructions:

To make tea with dried leaves: Boil the water, add the dried leaves, and brew for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Author note: One of my favorite leaves to pick on my farm are persimmon leaves. Persimmon leaves contain proanthocyanidins, which are a type of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, nitric oxide, choline, astragalin, and amino acids. The leaves also have more vitamin C than the fruit and are a good source of carotenoids, magnesium, manganese, titanium, calcium, and phosphorus. Studies have shown that drinking persimmon leaf tea improves your metabolism, and flavonoids help lower blood pressure.