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.