Despite its historical importance in traditional indigenous medicine, precious little research fully explores the bioactive and functional properties of diospyros dignya, or black sapote.

The black sapote is a low-acid berry with a pH of 6.5-6.7; it contains varying amounts of vitamins C, E, and A, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Existing studies highlight anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, anticancer, antimicrobial, and cardio- and gastroprotective effects exhibited by its compounds, citing its high antioxidant activity level and ability to support bone, connective tissue, and digestive function.

Its genus name, diospyros, is a term with ancient Greek origins. Greek philosopher and Lyceum successor to Aristotle, Theophrastus, first used the term “diospyron” to refer to the fruit of the nettle tree. Swedish botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus then designated the genus classification diospyros for persimmons in 1753, over 200 years after the first written account of their existence in the New World reached Europe following the 1539 de Soto expedition. Linnaeus’ diospyros is now interpreted as both an appellative of the deity Zeus and a reference to his divine wheat—or, in this context, the fruit of the gods.

Over twenty common names spanning a dozen languages and indigenous dialects spoken in native growth zones refer to the black sapote, whose modern moniker traces back to the Nahua people. The Nahuatl language uses tlilzapotl—tliltic translates to black, while tzapotl, or sapote, refers to soft and edible fruit. These names also reflect the diety Tzapotlatenan, or the Mother of Tzapotlan, who was viewed as a fertility goddess and associated with turpentine, healing, sapote, and ritual sacrifice.

Considering the prevalent divine symbolism, it is plausible to infer Linnaeus’ diospyros may be an unintentional echo of its earlier parallel tliltzapotl. One may, therefore, interpret the Nahuatl term, tliltzapotl, as an appellative of the deity Tzapotlan and reference to her divine fruit—or, perhaps, the fruit of the goddess.