Persimmon’s are a bit of a forgotten fruit, the kind that some people have never heard of or tasted. They are more often sold in markets and fruit stalls, and totally worth the search! Disguised by their sweetness, you wouldn’t tell that these fruits have one of the highest contents of vitamin C of any fruit. Almost 80% of your daily requirements in one persimmon! These nutritional bombs are also packed with iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus; in much higher quantities than other fruits such as apples and pears. It’s no surprise therefore, that they are appropriately named as ‘food for the gods’ in Latin, but if your up for the search, you can enjoy these godly fruits too.

Combine persimmon with pomegranate, already famous for its nutritional qualities, and your body and baby are in for a real treat. But your taste buds are not forgotten either, because this is a delicious combination of sweet and tart flavours, soft and crunchy textures; a sure ‘gift from the gods’!

In other words, this combination of fruits may help you during your pregnancy to lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of anaemia, and keep your immune system healthy to fight off any infections. But in any case, you certainly don’t need any excuse to eat this delicious fruit salad! Enjoy as a snack, for breakfast or for dessert, these fruits are truly versatile.

A word of advice when buying persimmons: as a general rule, persimmons are eaten a little firmer, whilst kaki’s (that look almost identical), are eaten very soft. If you bite into a kaki that is unripe it’s like taking a mouthful of cotton wool! A memorable experience to say the least. So make sure you ask the fruit seller to tell you which type it is before you tuck in. Autumn is the time of year that they are in season, so you should be able to find them relatively easily.

RECIPE      Serves 2    Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 persimmons (or soft kaki’s)
1 pomegranate
A few fresh mint leaves

Method
Peel and slice the persimmons and place into a bowl. Quarter the pomegranate and carefully remove all of the seeds (either by hand, or by banging the back of the spoon on the skin). Chop the mint leaves, combine everything together, and you’re done!