Today I have been outside harvesting persimmon leaves, so this pause in my work would be a good opportunity to go over some of the benefits research, and thousands of years of use, have indicated may be gained from this particular natural herbal remedy when used in tea blends.
For example in a study conducted by the Deptartment of Food Science & Nutrtion, at the Catholic University Of Taegu-Hyosung, Hayang 712-702, in Korea, it was found that "Persimmon leaves, which are a good source of important dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin A & C, and flavonoids, have been widely used as a tea in oriental countries. In particular, several tannins and flavonoids isolated from persimmon leaf were recently found to have antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, and antimutagenic actions" . It is the tannins and flavonoids in Persimmon leaves that provide the anti-hypertensive, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-mutagenic properties.
Persimmon leaf, which contains astragalin, when taken orally, acts as a natural antihistamine and may help reduce allergic reactions as well.Efficacy tests of the lipid-lowering actions of persimmon leaves indicate whole persimmon leaf tea could prove beneficial for regulation of lipid metabolism.
Now of course the corporate view, and the reason the majority of these studies are conducted are to process the natural leaves. Take the good ingredients, available in their natural state, and produce them in pill, or liquid form. I say why, When you can use the unaltered natural form? Do you want to trust science to make it better? They have done such a great job within the food industry over the past decade haven't they? (Insert sarcasm here).
The fact remains that cultures from various parts of the world, over the test of time, have used persimmon to treat a number of ills. More importantly, like many of the natural herbal remedies nature provides us, persimmon leaves can be beneficial as a preventative to illness, by strengthening our bodies natural defenses.
Like most teas, persimmon leaf tea originated in the Orient. For thousands of years it has been a traditional tea in Korea. It is believed to be superior in preventing and curing diseases of the blood and circulatory system. Persimmon leaf tea contains more than 3.5~20.8 times the vitamin C content than green tea.
I need to return to finish spreading my leaves into one single layer.
Which is More time consuming than you may think:)
you sound alot like me.... and tomorrow i am going to that tree and pick a bunch of leaves and dry them out and I am going to drink that tea too. I am in a precancerous condition and as of yet it has not settled anywhere but it is traveling thru my system... I have been doing everything possible to keep it at bay. This sounds like it will help and certainly wont hurt. I love working in my garden and I sometimes feel just like a rabbit... it hasnt been long since I stopped eating any processed food and sugars and other junk. Any ideas for surviving is welcome. thanks for this blog... yes, I found it. suzie millerswe3@aol.com
ReplyDeleteSuzie your comment about feeling like a rabbit was so cute:) It resonated with me, because I too wander through the various garden areas and property here nibbling this and that... and have thought of myself as a little rabbit as well lol. Too funny:) One thing I craved was honeysuckle blossoms. They are said to be VERY good for cancerous conditions. These usually bloom early in the spring. Funny thing is I was feeling a bit peeked through Sept.-Oct. and lo and behold a section of Honeysuckle along one of the pasture fences went into bloom. It was very odd to bloom in fall, but right up until the frosts hit I have enjoyed picking off the sweet little treats:)
ReplyDeleteHow dry must the leaves be?
ReplyDeleteHi it usually takes about a week to ten days in a well ventilated room, I always keep a fan running. These leaves dry particularly nicely, just make sure it is One single layer. I flip them once a day every day. When the little stem snaps right off I give them an additional day. Before packaging it is a MUST that any herbs or leaves are completely dry, or else you can have mold and fungus problems. You want them crinkly dry:)
ReplyDeleteHi, I was just wondering when you harvest the leaves? Is it before or after fruiting? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI drink this tea myself, it tastes like green tea without the caffeine. I just returned from my yard, picking leaves in different stages of development from different strains of persimmons to see which one tastes the best. Just washed them before drying.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you find that this may "cure" cancer. In my opinion that does not mean that it should be used instead of traditional medicine. The recent death of Steve Jobs is a good example of what that can lead to. The fact that it is "natural" does not mean harmless. In the case of persimmons, the tree is virtually resistant to insect infestation and bacterial, viral and fungal attacks. That means that it makes pesticides, antibiotics, antifungals and antiviral compounds that are toxins. The fact that they work well for the tree does not mean that they will be working sufficiently or at all and without harm in other species. Also, standardization for strength, getting an effective dose without possible serious side-effects is virtually impossible in leaves from different strains and trees of persimmon and leaves harvested in various stages. I for me just enjoy the tea. It is a cold day in California, I'm boiling water to have a cup with my sweety.
Hans D
Lovely article you Have here, I had a question about the post drying process. I am currently drying my leaves in the attic, I guess this is a good time to ask if the attic is a good place to dray leaves, and am also wanting to know what to do after I am done drying them. how to I prepare them and store them afterwards?
ReplyDeleteThanks Sincerely Bromar