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what is pomegranate used for

by Dr. Ernestina Paucek Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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As intact sarcotestas or juice, pomegranates are used in baking, cooking, juice blends, meal garnishes, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails and wine.

Various parts of the tree and fruit are used to make medicine. People use pomegranate for high blood pressure, athletic performance, heart disease, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses. Pomegranate has been used for thousands of years.

Full Answer

What are the different uses of pomegranate?

Pomegranate Uses:

  • Pomegranate, with its glistening red seeds and dark red juice, provides a unique taste to salads, soups, marinades, dessert and beverages.
  • To experience the rich taste of pomegranate, eat the fresh fruit without any addition. ...
  • Kick start your day on a healthy note by preparing a smoothie. ...

More items...

What are the uses of Pomegranates?

Some potential benefits and medicinal uses of Pomegranate

  • Some potential benefits of pomegranates. ...
  • Medicinal properties: Pomegranate is a poly-vitamin, a unique fruit plant producing a wide spectrum of biologically active substances espescially important in our present-day polluted environment.
  • Medicinal uses:
  • Diarrhea: The skin of the fruit is valuable in the treatment of diarrhea. ...

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What are the health benefits of eating a pomegranate?

Pomegranates have an impressive nutrient profile — one cup of arils (174 grams) contains ( 2 ):

  • Fiber: 7 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams
  • Vitamin C: 30% of the RDI
  • Vitamin K: 36% of the RDI
  • Folate: 16% of the RDI
  • Potassium: 12% of the RDI

What is the pomegranate good for?

  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Decline of stress levels
  • Increase in positive emotions, especially self-confidence
  • Heightened mood
  • Lowered feelings of shyness, fear, and sadness

See more

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What is pomegranates good for?

Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids, both of which are known to prevent free radicals from damaging your cells. In some studies, pomegranates show potential to be effective in preventing prostate, breast, lung, and colon cancers.

What diseases can pomegranate cure?

Pomegranate can be used in the prevention and treatment of several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. In addition, it improves wound healing and is beneficial to the reproductive system.

What happens if I eat pomegranate daily?

Eating pomegranates on a daily basis, or drinking the juice can be an excellent aid for your immunity, fight Type-2 diabetes, keep blood pressure in check, smoothen digestion and make your skin glow too. So, the next time you want to pick up a snack, munch on a pomegranate.

Why is pomegranate fruit of death?

Symbol of death and fertility In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the 'fruit of the dead' as it was said to have arisen from the blood of Adonis. It also prominently featured in the myth of Hades and Persephone.

Who should not eat pomegranate?

Allergies to plants: People with plant allergies seem to be more likely to have an allergic reaction to pomegranate. Surgery: Pomegranate might affect blood pressure. This might interfere with blood pressure control during and after surgery. Stop taking pomegranate at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Does pomegranate reduce belly fat?

Here's how pomegranate can rock your weight loss plan: It reduces belly fat: Pomegranate blocks triglycerides, the type of fat that gets into your blood and increases your risk of heart disease. By attacking this fat before it can be stored in your body, pomegranate also keep them from manifesting as belly fat.

What does pomegranate do to your face?

Pomegranates help to improve skin health by reducing wrinkles, preventing sun damage, detoxifying the skin, reducing acne, and promoting collagen production to reduce fine lines. Owing to its antioxidant and anti-ageing properties, pomegranate should form a part of your daily diet for optimal skin health.

Which is better pomegranate seeds or juice?

Studies suggest the juice may help lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. But as is true for all fruits, you're better off consuming the fruit itself (so you eat the fiber-rich seeds) rather than drinking juice. A half-cup of pomegranate arils contains just 72 calories.

Punicalagins

Punicalagins are extremely potent antioxidants found in pomegranate juice and peel.

Punicic Acid

Punicic acid, found in pomegranate seed oil, is the main fatty acid in the arils.

The Rise of the Pomegranate

In the year 2000, only around four percent of Americans had ever tasted a pomegranate, but that was soon to change.

What Are Pomegranates?

The pomegranate is a spherical fruit with a “crown” that grows on a tree originally native to Iran, the Armenian highlands, and northern India. Today Iran, the world’s largest producer of pomegranates, grows over 740 different varieties of the fruit.

Pomegranate Nutrition

Pomegranates are often called nutritional superfoods, and for good reason. They’re high in phytochemicals and antioxidants such as flavonols — and the anthocyanins that give them their pigment.

Pomegranate Benefits

While pomegranates are undoubtedly nutrient-packed, most of the studies conducted on them have either used a fruit extract, pomegranate juice, or a pomegranate seed oil, as opposed to the whole fruit. These studies test the effectiveness of pomegranate compounds against a certain ailment, such as cancer.

Environmental Impacts of Pomegranate

While pomegranates seem to be good for you, are they as good for the environment? Here are some things to consider when purchasing pomegranates.

Where to Find Pomegranates

In the US, fresh pomegranates generally become available in September or October and are available until January. But if pomegranate juice is your jam, you can get it year-round in most grocery stores, especially when frozen or otherwise preserved.

How to Choose and Store a Pomegranate

It’s clear that pomegranates have earned consideration for a place in our diets, given their numerous health and nutrition benefits. So how do you choose the best ones and make sure they’re well-preserved?

Background

Pomegranate is a small, fruit-bearing tree native to Iran and northern India and cultivated around the world.

How Much Do We Know?

We don’t have a lot of strong scientific evidence on the effects of pomegranate on people’s health.

What Have We Learned?

The pomegranate fruit contains substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, the limited research that’s been completed so far has not shown benefits of pomegranate in preventing or treating heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, cancer, diabetes, or other conditions.

What Do We Know About Safety?

Pomegranate juice is believed to be safe. Pomegranate extract may also be safe. Pomegranate root, stem, and peel may not be safe when consumed in large amounts because they contain substances that can have harmful effects.

Keep in Mind

Take charge of your health—talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions.

Key References

Aziz Z, Huin WK, Hisham MDB, et al. Effects of pomegranate on lipid profiles: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2020;48:102236.

Etymology

The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum "apple" and grānātum "seeded". Possibly stemming from the old French word for the fruit, pomme-grenade, the pomegranate was known in early English as "apple of Grenada"—a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons.

Description

A shrub or small tree growing 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) high, the pomegranate has multiple spiny branches and is extremely long-lived, with some specimens in France surviving for 200 years. P. granatum leaves are opposite or subopposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm ( 1 + 1⁄4 – 2 + 3⁄4 in) long and 2 cm ( 3⁄4 in) broad.

Cultivation

P. granatum is grown for its fruit crop, and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. Mature specimens can develop sculptural twisted-bark multiple trunks and a distinctive overall form. Pomegranates are drought -tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates.

Production and export

During 2019, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Israel, India, and Turkey supplied pomegranates to the European market. Chile was the main supplier to the United States market, which has a limited supply from Southern California. China was self-sufficient for its pomegranate supply in 2019, while other South Asia markets were supplied mainly by India.

History

The pomegranate is native to a region from modern-day Iran to northern India. Pomegranates have been cultivated throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and Mediterranean region for several millennia, and it is also cultivated in the Central Valley of California and in Arizona.

Research

The most abundant phytochemicals in pomegranate juice are polyphenols, including the hydrolyzable tannins called ellagitannins formed when ellagic acid and gallic acid bind with a carbohydrate to form pomegranate ellagitannins, also known as punicalagins.

Symbolism

Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. It was referred to by the Semitic names of jnhm or nhm. According to the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical writings from around 1500 BC, Egyptians used the pomegranate for treatment of tapeworm and other infections.

What Is Pomegranate?

Pomegranates are round, reddish-brown fruits with a hard, smooth exterior. They grow on shrub-like trees and are typically similar in size to a navel orange. The interior of a pomegranate consists of a white, pulpy mesocarp surrounding small seeds. The seeds, also known as arils, are about the size of corn kernels and contain bright red juice.

How to Use Pomegranate

Pomegranate seeds can be eaten fresh as a sweet-tart snack, used as a garnish or ingredient, or dried. To peel a pomegranate, cut off the very top at the crown. Scoop out some of the core, being careful not to disturb any seeds. Use a sharp knife to score just the thin outer peel, cutting from top to bottom and creating four segments.

What Does Pomegranate Taste Like?

Pomegranate is a juicy fruit with a sweet and tart flavor. The juice is sometimes used in place of citrus juice to add brightness to a drink or dish. The seeds are crunchy and juicy, and add a nice counterpoint to rich dishes like stews and dips.

Pomegranate Recipes

Pomegranate is frequently used raw, with whole seeds eaten out of hand, as an ingredient, or as a colorful garnish. The raw seeds are also used to make bright red juice. Pomegranate juice is enjoyed as a beverage, cocktail mixer, and an ingredient in sweet and savory sauces and dishes. The fruit can also be cooked down to make jellies and jams.

Where to Buy Pomegranate

Look for fresh pomegranates in your local grocery from late fall through early spring. They are typically sold individually and priced per fruit or per pound. Select large fruits that feel heavy for their size and are free from bruises or punctures.

Storage

The pomegranate is picked ripe and does not continue to ripen off the tree. Therefore, there is no need to let it ripen at home before use. Whole, fresh pomegranates will keep on your counter for up to a week or in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Where to find pomegranate powder

The only pomegranate powder I’ve used is Nativas Organic Freeze Dried Pomegranate Powder. I recommend the following two sources for it:

10 Uses for Pomegranate Powder

1. Superfood smoothies. This is a no-brainer… add a spoonful of pomegranate powder to your smoothies before blending. It ups the nutrient content and adds beautiful flavor. My favorite fruit pairings with pomegranate powder include blueberries, bananas or mangoes.

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Overview

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between 5 and 10 m (16 and 33 ft) tall.
The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean region. It was introduced into Spanish America in the late 16th century and into Califor…

Etymology

The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum "apple" and grānātum "seeded". Possibly stemming from the old French word for the fruit, pomme-grenade, the pomegranate was known in early English as "apple of Grenada"—a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons. This is a folk etymology, confusing the Latin granatus with the name of the Spanish city of G…

Description

A shrub or small tree growing 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) high, the pomegranate has multiple spiny branches and is long-lived, with some specimens in France surviving for 200 years. P. granatum leaves are opposite or subopposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm (1+1⁄4–2+3⁄4 in) long and 2 cm (3⁄4 in) broad. The flowers are bright red and 3 cm (1+1⁄4 in) in diameter, with three to seven …

Cultivation

P. granatum is grown for its fruit crop, and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. Mature specimens can develop sculptural twisted-bark multiple trunks and a distinctive overall form. Pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they can be pro…

Production and export

During 2019, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Israel, India, and Turkey supplied pomegranates to the European market. Chile was the main supplier to the United States market, which has a limited supply from Southern California. China was self-sufficient for its pomegranate supply in 2019, while other South Asia markets were supplied mainly by India. Pomegranate production and exports in South Africa competed with South American shipments in 2012–18, with export destinations including …

History

The pomegranate is native to a region from modern-day Iran to northern India. Pomegranates have been cultivated throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and Mediterranean region for several millennia, and it is also cultivated in the Central Valley of California and in Arizona. Pomegranates may have been domesticated as early as the fifth millennium BC, as they were one of the first fruit trees to b…

Research

The most abundant phytochemicals in pomegranate juice are polyphenols, including the hydrolyzable tannins called ellagitannins formed when ellagic acid and gallic acid bind with a carbohydrate to form pomegranate ellagitannins, also known as punicalagins. The red color of the juice is attributed to anthocyanins, such as delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin glycosides. Generally, an increase in juice pigmentation occurs during fruit ripening. The phenolic content of …

Symbolism

Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. It was referred to by the Semitic names of jnhm or nhm. According to the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical writings from around 1500 BC, Egyptians used the pomegranate for treatment of tapeworm and other infections.
The Greeks were familiar with the fruit far before it was introduced to Rome via

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