Food, Recipe and Activity of the Week - January 27, 2008
This week's features include:
Food - Persimmon
Recipe - Persimmon and apple salad
Activity - Water exercise
History
The origin of the persimmon is a debate. Some call it the Japanese persimmon and claim that it originated in Japan. Others claim that the oriental persimmon is native to China. The persimmon has been cultivated in both countries for many centuries. The fruit was introduced to California in the mid 1800's.
Persimmon Facts
In most parts of the world, the persimmon is called kaki, or in Spanish caqui. In Israel they are called Sharon fruit. In the US, they are called persimmon after the Algonquin Indian name for Diospyros virginiana, the Native American persimmon or Possum Persimmon. Diospyros, the genus name, means “food for the gods”. Along with its many names, the persimmon has also been nicknamed, “Apple of the Orient”.
Persimmons grow best in areas that have moderate winters and mild summers. Thus, 95% of persimmons grown for the US market are grown in California. Persimmons can be found in grocery stores from late September through May.
Two very different varieties of persimmons can be found in the grocery store: astringent and non-astringent:
Fuyu is the most common non-astringent variety in the store. It is tomato shaped and pale to bright orange in color. The non-astringent varieties have a sweet taste and crisp texture before fully ripe. Once ripe they have a sweet taste with a custard-like texture.
Hachiya is the name of the astringent variety. They are the shape of an acorn but about the size of a peach. They are shiny and bright orange in color when unripe. The astringent variety has multiple personalities. When unripe, they are very astringent and cause the mouth to pucker. Once ripe though, the skin begins to dull, they are soft to the touch, and very sweet with jelly-like flesh.
Unripe persimmons will ripen at room temperature and may take up to a week or more to ripen. To speed the process, place unripe fruit in a paper bag with an apple. Ripe fruits should be stored in the refrigerator.
Persimmons are a good source of vitamin C with one fruit providing 14 percent of the daily requirement. They are also rich in vitamin A and fiber.
Fuyu persimmons can be washed and eaten like an apple. They are also good when sliced and added to a salad or sandwich as a tomato substitute. Hachiya are best halved lengthwise and eaten from the skin with a spoon. Seeds should be discarded if present.
Nutritional Information (one medium-size raw): 118 calories, 0.3 g fat,1.0 g protein, 31.2 g carbohydrate, 13 mg vitamin C
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp walnut pieces, toasted
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 sweet variety apples, rinsed, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3 firm-ripe Guyu persimmons, rinsed, stemmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil.
- Add apples, persimmons, and toasted walnuts and mix to coat.
Nutrition Information: 120 calories, 3 grams fat, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 4 grams fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 0 milligrams sodium
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more recipes and access to the recipe’s full nutritional profile, visit www.cdc.gov
Being physically active during the winter months can be difficult. Cold temperatures and snow can keep one from enjoying outdoor activities like walking or riding bikes. Thus, the winter months are a good time to head to the pool. The indoor pool, that is. Water exercise is one of the best forms of low impact fitness activities around. In fact, water exercise is recommended for pregnant women, the elderly and overweight, those with arthritis, and individuals recovering from injury.
The buoyancy of the water reduces the “weight” of a person by as much as 90 percent. Thus, the stress on joints, bones, and muscles is also reduced. As a result, getting injured during water exercise is unlikely as is the likelihood that one will feel sore after a water workout. This, however, does not meet water exercise is not a good workout. In fact, water exercise encompasses all components of fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.
Aerobic workouts in the water are a good option for those who find land activities too painful. Running, jumping, and kicking are not as jarring as they are on land. When determining the intensity of a workout in the water, keep in mind the fact that heart rate can be reduced by as much as 17 heart beats per minutes when compared to land exercise.
Water is great for strength training. Instead of weights, the water provides the needed resistance. Pushing and pulling the water away from the body with cupped hands, creates a strength training effect. Hand-held paddles and gloves can increase the resistance.
One of the best advantages of the water is its effect on flexibility. Water, especially warm water, allows for ease of movements that may be difficult to do on land. And with lessened effects of gravity a fuller range of motion can be achieved in the water, which is good for long-term flexibility.
Whether one chooses to join a water aerobics class or swim laps, the activity should include a warm-up period followed by a period of increased heart rate and finished with a cool-down.
A 150-pound person can burn approximately 272 calories doing water aerobics for 1-hour. The same amount of calories can be burned in 30 minutes if swimming the crawl stroke at a moderate pace.
Always be sure to consult a physician before beginning any new form of physically activity.
For more information on swimming and other cardiovascular activities, go to www.acefitness.org