Persimmon
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Serve very ripe and soft · no dried persimmon
When can babies eat persimmon?
You can offer persimmon once your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. Unripe persimmon can leave a dry, numbing feel in the mouth. It is harmless but surprises people trying it for the first time.
The persimmon is a big fruit. The trees that bear them lose their leaves each year and grow in temperate and subtropical regions. Some kinds are round and others heart-shaped. Colors run from deep red to orange and yellow. The two most grown kinds, Fuyu and Hachiya, come from Asia. The English word was borrowed from a North American Cree language.
Persimmon gives carbohydrates, fiber and fluid. It contains potassium, plus a range of vitamins: K, E, C, B6, and A. These support energy, gut bacteria, fluid balance, vision, skin, iron absorption, immunity and blood clotting. It also holds antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
Not a date
Do not confuse persimmon with the date fruit. Dried persimmon is a separate product too and is not given before 12 months.
How do you prepare persimmon for babies?
Ripeness by variety
Hachiya (heart-shaped) must be very ripe and soft like pulp. Firm kinds such as Fuyu should wait at room temperature until they feel tender like a ripe pear. Persimmon that has over-ripened and squashes under finger pressure is safest for babies.
Skin
Many babies chew the skin for a while, then spit it out. It may look wasteful, but it helps them get used to skin and builds oral-motor skills. You can peel it if you prefer.
Dried persimmon
Dried persimmon is firm and hard to chew, which raises the choking risk. If a recipe needs it, soak it in warm water until fully soft, chop it fine and stir it into the dish.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
6 months
6 months · How to prepare for scooping by hand or spoonmash
Wait until a heart-shaped persimmon (Hachiya) is very ripe and feels mushy to the touch. Halve it, spoon the flesh out of the skin and serve in a bowl. Your baby can eat it by hand or from a pre-loaded spoon. Let firm kinds such as Fuyu over-ripen until they squash under light pressure, remove the seeds and offer a large wedge. If you like, cook halves until a fork pierces them easily.
6 months · How to prepare as a large wedgeslice
Cut: Thick wedge
Remove the seeds from a very soft persimmon and cut a large, thick wedge. The wedge should squash easily under light pressure. If it is still firm, soften it by cooking.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare as small piecescube
Let Hachiya ripen until custardy, halve it and let your child try scooping with a spoon. Leave Fuyu out on the counter until it yields like a ripe pear, peel if you like, halve and remove seeds if needed. You may serve it in small pieces, quarters, halves, thin rounds, or whole, with the skin on or off. If your baby chews the skin and spits it out, it is normal and helps chewing skills.
12 months
12 months · How to prepare as slices and halvesslice
Offer ripe, soft persimmon as quarters, thin rounds or halves. Remove the seeds. If your child struggles with the skin, peel it or peel it in stripes and leave some on. Give a whole fully ripe Hachiya only when you trust your child's eating skills, after 18 months, and stay close.
Is persimmon a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
A few varieties remain slippery and firm after ripening. Make sure the fruit is very soft and remove the seeds. No dried persimmon.
Persimmon carries a choking risk. Certain ripe types are soft and easy to mash. Others stay slippery and firm after ripening, and those carry more risk.
Make sure the fruit is very soft and prepare it for your baby's age. Always remove the seeds. Stay close while your baby eats and keep them upright.
Is persimmon a common allergen?
Persimmon is not a common allergen. Persimmon allergy is rare but has been reported. Persimmon can affect people with birch pollen allergy, latex sensitivity, or oral allergy syndrome. The syndrome only makes the mouth itch, tingle or sting briefly, and it is not dangerous. Peeling or cooking the fruit may lessen the reaction or stop it.
For the first few tries, give a small portion by itself. If there is no reaction, increase the portion.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about persimmon
Why does persimmon dry out the mouth?
Unripe persimmon leaves a dry, numbing feel. It is harmless and goes away once the fruit is fully ripe.
Does persimmon cause digestive problems?
No, not within a diet that has variety. For people with existing digestive problems, a high-fiber intake can lead to constipation, and in rare cases to a bezoar, a lump of indigestible material. It is extremely rare in children.
Can babies have dried persimmon?
No. It is firm and hard to chew. If a recipe needs it, soften it in warm water and chop it fine.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- NHS. (n.d.). Preparing food safely for babies.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
- Jiang Y, Gong NN, Matsunami H. (2014). Astringency: A More Stringent Definition. Chemical Senses. doi:10.1093/chemse/bju021
- Anliker MD, Reindl J, Vieths S, Wüthrich B. (2001). Allergy caused by ingestion of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) : Detection of specific IgE and cross-reactivity to profilin and carbohydrate determinants. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. doi:10.1067/mai.2001.113568
- Kim JH, Kim SH, Park HW, Cho SH, Chang YS. (2018). Oral Allergy Syndrome in Birch Pollen-Sensitized Patients from a Korean University Hospital. Journal of Korean Medical Science. doi:10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e218
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com