Dr. Shela Gorinstein, a researcher at the Hebrew University School of Pharmacy, joined researchers from Poland, Bulgaria and Spain in comparing the health benefits of apples to those of persimmons. The scholars found that persimmons play a more significant role than apples in reducing the risk of heart disease, the number one cause of death in the West, as well as strokes. Specifically, 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. The results of the latest study were published in a recent issue of The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, published by the American Chemical Society.