What are the disadvantages of eating too many persimmons?
Sep 05, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, although persimmons have a sweet taste and contain various nutrients, excessive consumption can bring many adverse effects to the body, mainly including gastrointestinal dysfunction, increased risk of gastric persimmon stones, interference with blood glucose stability, damage to dental health, and impaired nutrient absorption. When consuming persimmons in daily life, one should control the amount intake, with one to two persimmons per serving being advisable, and avoid eating them on an empty stomach.
Generally, although persimmons have a sweet taste and contain various nutrients, excessive consumption can bring many adverse effects to the body, mainly including damage to gastrointestinal function, increased risk of gastric persimmon stones, interference with blood sugar stability, damage to dental health, and hindered nutrient absorption. The specific analysis is as follows:
1. Damage to gastrointestinal function: Persimmons contain a high amount of tannic acid. Excessive intake can cause tannic acid to react with gastric acid in the stomach, irritating the gastric mucosa and causing discomfort such as abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and nausea. If the gastrointestinal function is inherently weak or if large amounts are consumed on an empty stomach, it may slow gastric motility and worsen indigestion.
2. Increased risk of gastric persimmon stones: Under the action of gastric acid, tannic acid easily combines with proteins in food to form insoluble clumps. Continuous accumulation and hardening of these substances may form gastric persimmon stones. Gastric persimmon stones can occupy gastric space, affect gastric emptying, and, in severe cases, compress the gastric wall.
3. Interference with blood sugar stability: Persimmons contain a certain amount of fructose and glucose. Excessive consumption can cause a sudden increase in sugar intake, leading to rapid increases in blood sugar levels. For diabetic patients, these blood sugar fluctuations can worsen the condition and are detrimental to blood sugar control.
4. Damage to dental health: The tannic acid and sugar in persimmons tend to adhere to the tooth surface. If the mouth is not cleaned promptly after consumption, tannic acid can combine with calcium in the teeth to form precipitates that are difficult to remove. Over time, this can erode the enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity, cavities, and other dental problems.
5. Hindered nutrient absorption: Tannic acid in persimmons combines with minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc in food to form compounds that are difficult for the human body to absorb. Long-term excessive consumption can hinder the absorption of these essential minerals, potentially causing nutritional deficiencies like calcium deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, which can affect normal physiological functions of the body.
When consuming persimmons in daily life, it is important to control the amount. It is recommended to eat 1-2 persimmons at a time, avoid eating them on an empty stomach, and rinse the mouth or brush teeth promptly after eating to reduce adverse effects on the body.
