Japan Fruit...

Me: Is it a different kind of tomato?

Gramma: No, it looks different... I havent seen this kind of tomato before

Me: Hmm.. it is in the fruit section.... Do you have any idea what it could be?

Gramma : [She looked at me perplexed...]

I then turned to the salesman behind the Apples counter and asked him what fruit it was..

Salesguy: Japan Fruit madam.. See that box next to it, it has the chopped fruit as well..

I instantly tweeted asking the kind souls out there if they had seen/tasted this fruit. Within few minutes, one of those souls replied saying "yes, have seen this before, it is also called Persimmon"

From Wikipedia- They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. Like the tomato, it is not considered a "common berry", but is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

We were tempted to buy one and try, but put it off for another day... I got home and did some snooping around on the net... What i found had me curious.. 

Health benefits of persimmon fruit

[Source:http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/persimmon-fruit.html]

• The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.
  
• Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
  
• Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that plays a role in aging and various disease processes.
  
• zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age related macular disease"(ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide 80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin...etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
  
• Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI),  and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
  

You bet on my next sighting of this fruit, i am going to grab one!!