(Adnkronos) - Frutto squisito, originario del Giappone, il kaki è protagonista della stagione autunnale e ad esso l'odierna puntata de Il Gusto della Salute, la rubrica online condivisa da Adnkronos Salute, nella quale a cura del team specialistico coordinato dall'immunologo Mauro Minelli, della Fondazione per la Medicina Personalizzata, vengono analizzate e descritte le diverse proprietà nutrizionali e salutistiche degli alimenti. "Dal Giappone, questa pianta si è progressivamente diffusa in tutto il mondo e in Italia, in particolare, è arrivata nella seconda metà dell'ottocento - ricorda Minelli - Molte sono le leggende legate alla bontà di tale frutto ma, ben oltre la leggenda, rimane alla storia la capacità del kaki di essere l'unica pianta a sopravvivere all'esplosione atomica del 9 agosto 1945 sulla città di Nagasaki, ciò che gli ha fatto meritare il titolo di “albero della pace". "Quel che l'analisi nutrizionale mette subito in evidenza è la grande quantità di acqua contenuta nel kaki, oltre al suo ricco patrimonio di zuccheri semplici - e dunque immediatamente assorbibili - come glucosio e fruttosio che, se da un lato, sono in grado di offrire importanti vantaggi in termini energetici, dall’altro - precisa l'immunologo - risultano essere alquanto nocivi per le persone diabetiche. Ulteriori dotazioni del kaki sono anche fibre, vitamine A e C, sali minerali come il potassio, il calcio e il fosforo, e diversi antiossidanti naturali". Sul piano salutistico, al già citato effetto energizzante che rende il kaki frutto particolarmente vantaggioso per chi pratica sport o per chi sia in convalescenza o in preda a momenti di calo psicofisico, diverse altre sono le proprietà benefiche che questo frutto è in grado di offrire. "In ragione dell'alto contenuto di acqua, potassio e fibre, il kaki svolge una preziosa azione diuretica, drenante e, depurativa, oltre a promuovere un importante effetto lassativo, quando maturo; perché se acerbo, in ragione dell’elevata presenza di tannini, il kaki è ideale per arrestare la diarrea", avverte Minelli. "Per via dell'alto contenuto di vitamina C e betacarotene, importante precursore della vitamina A e importante sostanza antiossidante, il kaki sostiene il nostro sistema immunitario e lo aiuta a contrastare infezioni di vario genere. Inoltre - osserva - l’importante dotazione di flavonoidi e polifenoli, tra i quali soprattutto l’acido betulinico, è strategica per rallentare l'invecchiamento cellulare svolgendo una preziosa funzione anti-radicali liberi. A potenziare l’attività antinfiammatoria intervengono anche le catechine abbondantemente presenti in questo frutto, capaci di esercitare pure funzioni antiemorragiche e, con il supporto aggiuntivo di potassio, magnesio e zinco, spasmolitiche". "I kaki sono alleati dello stomaco, visto che, una volta mangiata, la loro polpa è in grado di alleviare gli effetti dei succhi gastrici, apportando considerevoli benefici ai soggetti che dovessero soffrire di cattiva digestione o di gastrite. Soprattutto se mangiati a fine pasto, grazie alle fibre in essi contenute, i kaki sono in grado di frenare l’assorbimento del colesterolo, così abbassando soprattutto i livelli ematici del cosiddetto colesterolo cattivo e, dunque, svolgendo un'azione preventiva a favore del distretto cardiocircolatorio. Grazie al contenuto di licopene e betacarotene, il kaki svolge una straordinaria azione anti-age sulla pelle, proteggendola e prevenendo la comparsa di rughe. Utile sarebbe l’impiego di maschere a basa di polpa di kaki anche nel trattamento dell’acne. Pochissime le controindicazioni, eccezion fatta per l'esclusione del kaki dalla dieta delle persone diabetiche o in sovrappeso. In qualche caso il consumo di questo frutto può, però, interferire con l'azione dei farmaci anti ipertensivi, considerando la sua attitudine ad abbassare la pressione sanguigna", conclude Minelli.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 There are those with the sweet and creamy pulp,
00:03 pulp that, I remember, my mother used to feed me with a teaspoon,
00:06 which was previously immersed in the hollow of a good-natured peel.
00:11 And then there are the more compact ones of the vanilla variety.
00:15 Both are available in autumn and are to be eaten well mature,
00:21 first of all so as not to lose the rich heritage of vitamins and mineral salts,
00:25 and then because, if they are acidic, they are rough and they lick your mouth.
00:30 Let's talk about the delicious protagonist Kaki,
00:33 of this new episode of "Gusto della Salute".
00:36 [Music]
01:03 Much more than today, a few years ago, the fruits of the Kaki trees
01:07 were a note of color in the semi-wet autumn gardens,
01:11 they stuck to the doors of winter,
01:13 almost as the last memory of the most generous fruit seasons.
01:18 It seems that in Italy the first specimen of Kaki tree
01:22 was planted in the second half of the 20th century in the Boboli garden in Florence,
01:27 and it seems that Giuseppe Verdi,
01:29 conquered by the sweetness of Kaki, was a great estimator and consumer.
01:36 Small introductions to the historical notes of Kaki,
01:40 which will now be described in more detail by the expert Marco Renna.
01:44 [Music]
01:52 Kaki is a very sweet fruit of ancient memory,
01:55 native to Japan and China.
01:58 It arrives in Italy in the second half of the 20th century
02:02 and then slowly begins to be appreciated on a large scale
02:07 for its particularly beneficial qualities.
02:11 It must be said that many traditions and many legends are linked to Kaki,
02:17 some of which are of uncertain source.
02:21 There is, for example, the story that tells the story
02:24 of an old brigand who was hiding in an ancient monastery
02:30 to escape the soldiers of the king.
02:34 We are in the early 1900s
02:37 in a territory of southern Italy between Campania and Basilicata.
02:42 This man was particularly fond of Kaki
02:46 and at night left the security of the convent
02:51 to go and taste Kaki in the surrounding tent.
02:58 Well, the king's soldiers set up a ambush for him
03:03 and so the brigand's head was captured and taken away.
03:08 We can say that his greed cost him very dearly.
03:13 Kaki is called the "tree of peace"
03:18 because during the atomic bombing on Japan in August 1945
03:26 the Kaki were the only living beings to survive
03:30 the atomic bomb launched on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945,
03:36 three days after the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
03:47 Kaki are very good autumn fruits.
03:50 They are harvested from late September
03:52 and then they are kept until the beginning of the colder periods.
03:56 They are very good for the palate, they are very sweet,
03:59 they are also very nutritious fruits,
04:01 they are colorful and have important nutritional properties.
04:06 By analyzing the nutritional values,
04:07 we see that they are very rich in water,
04:09 about 80% of the total weight.
04:12 They also have a good amount of simple carbohydrates,
04:16 so soluble sugars like fructose and glucose,
04:19 so they are to be taken in moderation,
04:22 especially by those who suffer from diabetes or hyperglycemia.
04:26 In addition, they are very rich in fiber, a soluble fiber,
04:29 in particular pectin, which is very beneficial for the intestine.
04:34 Marginal are the quantities of proteins and fats.
04:37 If we analyze the vitamin intake,
04:40 we notice that most of the vitamin present in Kaki
04:44 is vitamin A, together with a good concentration of vitamin C.
04:48 Among the mineral salts, potassium stands out,
04:51 with a good concentration of calcium and phosphorus,
04:55 and with a slightly lower concentration,
04:58 especially of manganese and selenium.
05:00 Among the natural antioxidants,
05:02 we find those that belong to the family of carotenoids,
05:06 in particular beta-carotene,
05:07 which we know is the precursor of vitamin A.
05:10 Then we also have the cryptoxantines,
05:12 which are those substances that give that orange color to the pulp,
05:16 including quercetin or hyperin.
05:18 The chemical composition of Kaki, in reality,
05:21 depends a lot on the degree of ripening of the fruit.
05:24 In fact, the fruit is mainly made up of tannins,
05:28 but also of starch,
05:30 which are in very high concentrations in fruit and herbs.
05:34 As ripening progresses,
05:36 the starch is replaced by fructose and glucose,
05:39 so the Kaki become sweeter and more edible.
05:43 So, how do you choose a Kako that is good for the palate?
05:48 To choose sweet Kaki,
05:49 we simply have to look at the peel,
05:51 which must be very thin, very tender.
05:53 The fruit must be whole,
05:55 and even if it is excessively to the touch,
05:57 it must have a homogeneous ripening.
05:59 Or go and choose another variant of Kaki,
06:02 which is the variant of the Kako Mela,
06:04 which is a variant that has a very low concentration of tannins,
06:08 and therefore can be consumed even in its immature form.
06:11 So, Kaki are very caloric fruits,
06:25 because of their rich content of simple sugars,
06:28 which evidently counteracts the consumption
06:31 by diabetic subjects,
06:33 overweight,
06:34 or by people who are following a low-calorie diet.
06:38 On the other hand, however, it must be said that
06:40 the rich content of simple sugars and potassium
06:45 makes Kaki very fruitful foods
06:48 by people who practice sports
06:51 or people who are going through moments of psychophysical stress.
06:56 And this is because simple sugars
06:59 give energy, making them immediately available.
07:03 That is why Kaki are also usable and fruitful
07:07 by children or elderly people, even if they are not diabetic.
07:11 Because of their rich content of water and fiber,
07:17 mature Kaki have always been known to have a strong laxative power.
07:22 On the other hand, the acerbic Kaki,
07:24 due to their large content of tannins,
07:27 are astringent,
07:29 and therefore will be good in the case of diarrhea.
07:35 Kaki are fruits that stimulate diuresis
07:38 due to their rich content of water and potassium,
07:41 so they have a diuretic, draining and also deodorant action.
07:45 High is the content of vitamin C, beta-carotene,
07:52 which we know is a precursor of vitamin A,
07:54 but also other substances, such as copper,
07:57 substances that strengthen the immune system
08:00 and therefore help our body
08:02 to defend itself from various kinds of infections.
08:05 Kaki are also good for the body.
08:07 I should also mention the antioxidant activities,
08:11 that is, the activities capable of slowing down cell aging,
08:15 supported by some substances contained in Kaki,
08:18 such as beta-carotene,
08:20 but also flavonoids and polyphenols,
08:23 among which I remember especially the betulin acid,
08:26 which has an antitumor property.
08:28 Kaki are also stomach allies.
08:31 In fact, once eaten, the pulp is able to alleviate
08:34 the effects of gastric juices,
08:37 consequently bringing great benefit
08:40 to subjects who should suffer from maldigestion or gastritis.
08:43 Especially if consumed at the end of meals,
08:50 Kaki, due to their rich content of fiber,
08:53 reduce the absorption of cholesterol
08:56 and therefore contribute to the immune system
08:59 to limit, to lower the levels of cholesterol
09:02 and LDL, of bad cholesterol,
09:05 thus exercising a preventive action
09:08 in favor of the cardiovascular system.
09:11 The abundant presence of catechins
09:17 gives Kaki anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic properties.
09:21 Among other things, the presence of magnesium and zinc
09:24 allows Kaki to intervene effectively
09:27 in the control of muscle spasms.
09:30 Thanks to lycopene and the rich content of vitamin C and beta-carotene,
09:38 Kaki help maintain the skin's tonicity and elasticity
09:42 and masks made of Kaki pulp
09:46 seem to have an important preventive action
09:49 on wrinkles and also an effective action
09:53 on acne.
09:56 Few contraindications regarding the consumption of Kaki,
09:59 where the exclusion of these foods
10:02 from the diet of diabetic subjects,
10:05 there is to say, however, that Kaki can interfere
10:08 with the action of antihypertensive drugs,
10:11 considering its ability to lower blood pressure.
10:15 Translated by Elia Pozzani
10:17 www.eliapozzani.com
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