Persimmon: Nutritionist praises Chinese fruit as "immune-boosting" superfood

Flus and viruses become more active in the winter.

Therefore, ensuring your immune system is as strong as possible is extremely important for avoiding illness. Nutritionists believe one winter thriving fruit could be your diet's answer to boosting your immune system, as well as helping aid weight loss without breaking the bank.

This fruit is the humble, but lesser-known, persimmon. Grown from persimmon trees originally in China, the persimmon tastes like no other fruit, boasting rich, tangy and sweet flavours all at once.

Becuase these fruits - which can be found in supermarkets - are so packed with vitamins and nutrients, they could single-handedly fend off winter illnesses.

A nutritionist at Bulk.com said: "With this delicious winter fruit, don’t judge a book by its cover. It appears extremely similar to a tomato, however, its orange, mango-like inner flesh is indulgent and packed with immune-boosting properties.

"In one 168-gram Japanese persimmon, you can consume 15 per cent of your daily value of vitamin A, and 14 per cent of your daily value of vitamin C. Along with generous amounts of vitamins E, K, B6 and potassium- essential for keeping a strong immune system.

"Not only do they contain the essential bodily nutrients, but they are also packed with compounds such as tannins, flavonols, antioxidants - helping to flush any bad toxins out of the body. You can eat persimmons fresh, dried, or cooked, and are also commonly used in jellies, drinks, pies, curries, and puddings."

A three-pack of persimmons cost £1.25 in Tesco - cheaper than buying a trio of pears (£1.47) or apples (£1.95).