ADVICE
FROM (AND TO) THE HEART FROM HEBREW UNIVERSITY:
PERSIMMONS CAN PREVENT CLOGGED ARTERIES
Jerusalem,
February 14, 2001 - Eating an apple a day is not bad advice.
But a persimmon a day is more worthwhile, especially for your heart.
Take
it from a group of researchers headed by Dr. Shela Gorinstein, a researcher in
the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Gorinstein, along with other researchers from Israel, Poland,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Spain, compared the health benefits of apples
and persimmons. They found that
persimmons have greater benefits than apples in helping to reduce the risk of
heart disease, the number one cause of death in the U.S., as well as strokes.
The
researchers found that, as compared to apples, persimmons contain a
significantly higher concentration of dietary fiber, minerals, polyphenols
(anti-oxidants) and trace elements -- all of which play a role in combating the
clogging of arteries. Previous
research by the same group showed that persimmons improved the metabolism of
lipids (fats) in rats. This was the
first comparative study of persimmons and apples, evaluating their anti-atherosclerosis
capablities, said the Ukranian-born Dr. Gorinstein.
The results of the study will be published in the February 16 issue of The
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, published by the American
Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.
Dr. Gorinstein stated that many types of persimmons contain twice as much dietary fiber as apples. The persimmon also contains high levels of potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese, as compared to the apple. The peels of both fruits had higher fiber levels than the pulp or the whole fruit, according to the findings.
"Eating
one medium-sized persimmon a day is enough to help fight atheroscleroris,"
said Gorinstein. She added that
other fruits also help prevent heart disease and recommended that people
regularly include fruits in their diets.
The
reddish-orange persimmon was first cultivated in China thousands of years ago
and is today grown in many countries, including Israel.
Today, China, Japan and Korea are the biggest exporters of the fruit.
The
research on the persimmon was carried out with the support of the Israel Academy
of Sciences and Humanities. Clinical
studies will be carried out at Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot in cooperation with
Prof. Avraham Caspi and Prof. Simon Trakhtenberg.
The
Hebrew University of Jerusalem was founded by leading statesmen and scholars,
including Chaim Weizmann, Sigmund Freud, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Judah
Magnes, and Lord Rothschild. Since
opening its doors in 1925, Hebrew University has become a world leader in
research in such fields as technology, medicine and agriculture, and is making
significant contributions in the pursuit of peace and pluralism in the Middle
East. Today, more than 24,000
students from Israel and over 70 countries attend classes at its four campuses.
Founded by American philanthropist Felix M. Warburg, American Friends of The Hebrew University has dedicated itself to strengthening The Hebrew University of Jerusalem by providing resources to perpetuate the cultural, intellectual and educational traditions of the Jewish people. AFHU’s support has aided Hebrew University in achieving its high level of excellence.