What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.
Nutrition per serving 1 medium (168 g)
Water134.9 g81%
Sugars21 g13%
Fibre6 g4%
Other carbs4.2 g3%
Protein1 g1%
Fat0.3 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is a fruit used for lowers ldl/total cholesterol. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Persimmon is a sweet, fiber- and carotenoid-dense fruit whose distinctive bioactives are condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins). The strongest human signal is on blood lipids: a 12-week double-blind RCT (n=40) found 3 g/day of persimmon tannin-rich fiber significantly lowered total cholesterol and 5 g/day also lowered LDL cholesterol, and a 2025 meta-analysis of 16 trials of persimmon-leaf extract reported reductions in total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. A small human/animal study showed kaki-tannin blunts the post-carbohydrate glucose rise, and a 120-day RCT of a 400 mg persimmon extract reduced fat mass in overweight adults without lean-mass loss. However, much of the evidence uses concentrated leaf or tannin extracts rather than the whole fresh fruit, sample sizes are small, the leaf-extract meta-analysis is China-only with high heterogeneity, and several trials are industry-linked, so benefits should be considered preliminary. As a whole food, persimmon is a nutritious fiber, potassium, manganese and provitamin-A source. Its high sugar load and tannin content also carry real cautions, especially the unripe (astringent) fruit.
Purported Benefits
✓Lowers LDL/total cholesterol
✓Blunts post-meal blood glucose
✓High dietary fiber
✓Carotenoid + vitamin A source
✓Antioxidant polyphenol content
✓May aid body-fat reduction
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
1 medium fresh fruit (~168 g); persimmon-extract supplement trials used 400 mg/day or 3–5 g/day tannin-rich fiber.
Astringent/unripe persimmons are high in soluble tannins that can polymerize in stomach acid and form a hardened mass (diospyrobezoar) causing gastric or intestinal obstruction—risk is greater with prior gastric surgery, diabetes, delayed gastric emptying, advanced age, and eating large amounts on an empty stomach. Tannins can bind iron and other minerals, reducing absorption. Sugar content (~21 g per fruit) is relevant for diabetes/glycemic control despite the glucose-blunting tannin effect. Possible allergy/oral itching in sensitive individuals. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Persimmon with any medicine.
Persimmon is most often taken for Lowers LDL/total cholesterol, Blunts post-meal blood glucose, High dietary fiber, Carotenoid + vitamin A source. Tannin-rich autumn fruit with cholesterol-lowering fiber.
Does Persimmon work — what does the evidence say?
Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Persimmon is a sweet, fiber- and carotenoid-dense fruit whose distinctive bioactives are condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins). The strongest human signal is on blood lipids: a 12-week double-blind RCT (n=40) found 3 g/day of persimmon tannin-rich fiber significantly lowered total cholesterol and 5 g/day also lowered LDL cholesterol, and a 2025 meta-analysis of 16 trials of persimmon-leaf extract reported reductions in total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. A small human/animal study showed kaki-tannin blunts the post-carbohydrate glucose rise, and a 120-day RCT of a 400 mg persimmon extract reduced fat mass in overweight adults without lean-mass loss. However, much of the evidence uses concentrated leaf or tannin extracts rather than the whole fresh fruit, sample sizes are small, the leaf-extract meta-analysis is China-only with high heterogeneity, and several trials are industry-linked, so benefits should be considered preliminary. As a whole food, persimmon is a nutritious fiber, potassium, manganese and provitamin-A source. Its high sugar load and tannin content also carry real cautions, especially the unripe (astringent) fruit.
What is the typical dose of Persimmon?
1 medium fresh fruit (~168 g); persimmon-extract supplement trials used 400 mg/day or 3–5 g/day tannin-rich fiber.
Is Persimmon safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Astringent/unripe persimmons are high in soluble tannins that can polymerize in stomach acid and form a hardened mass (diospyrobezoar) causing gastric or intestinal obstruction—risk is greater with prior gastric surgery, diabetes, delayed gastric emptying, advanced age, and eating large amounts on an empty stomach. Tannins can bind iron and other minerals, reducing absorption. Sugar content (~21 g per fruit) is relevant for diabetes/glycemic control despite the glucose-blunting tannin effect. Possible allergy/oral itching in sensitive individuals.
How many studies support Persimmon?
NutriDex cites 10 sources for Persimmon, graded "Preliminary".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Persimmon (Diospyros kaki): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/persimmon
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_persimmon,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Persimmon (Diospyros kaki): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/persimmon},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.