The pomegranate is the fleshy fruit of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum), a small tree no more than five meters high that acclimatizes very well to semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean like the olive or orange tree.

The sight of a pomegranate tree in bloom is so beautiful that it even earned the privilege of being part of the famous hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

It looks like a dream fruit. Maybe that’s why it appears in Salvador Dalí’s painting. Dream caused by a bee flying around a pomegranate one second before waking up.

But the surrealist painter only continued a long tradition. Since ancient times, the pomegranate, one of the first cultivated fruits, has symbolized birth, eternal life, fertility and death.who knows if because of its abundance of seeds and its ease of «bleeding.» It has also been associated with desire and was sacred to Aphrodite.

It is believed that the pomegranate tree is originally from Iran, lands that for centuries were the support of the ancient Persian civilization, and whose cultivation dates back to prehistoric times.

Spain is one of the main world producers, after India and Iran, and the largest European exporter. This production is mainly concentrated in Alicante and Murcia, where more and more territory is dedicated to the cultivation of organic pomegranates to respond to the growing demand from countries such as Germany and England.

Nutritional profile of pomegranate

The pomegranate is a fruit with very low caloric value due to its low carbohydrate content (17%).

The majority component is water (80%) and, in terms of nutrients, Its potassium contribution stands out (259 mg).

Popularly It has been recommended to adolescents, pregnant women and anemic people for its supposed iron content, although it is actually minimal

Others nutrients present in the pomegranate in significant quantities are the vitamin A (5 mcg), the calcium (3 mg) and the phosphorus (8mg).

Pomegranate properties

But what makes the pomegranate a unique fruit, with incomparable properties, is its rich in phytochemicals such as flavonoids, anthocyanins and ellagitannins. Most of these substances are natural pigments with the function of protecting the plant against ultraviolet light, bacteria or parasites.

The antioxidants in pomegranate have been the subject of many studies. The positive conclusions of the majority of them have turned their juice into a appreciated product, at the height of green tea

Experts from the Haifa Lipid Research Laboratory (Israel) and the University of Naples (Italy) showed that drinking A daily glass of pomegranate juice reduces the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. The reason is that it has more antioxidants than most fruits and three times more than wine or green tea.

These antioxidants – especially a polyphenolic compound called ellagic acid and anthocyanins– improve the condition of blood vessels, regulate blood pressure, reduce by half the hardening of the arteries caused by the oxidation of cholesterol and reduce the retention of the bad variety (LDL), which if high increases the risk of suffering a heart attack. Estos antioxidantes protect tissues and organs against degenerative diseases.

Studies carried out in the United States, Japan and Cuba showed that pomegranate protects against skin, breast and colon cancers. More recently it was found that a daily glass of its juice slows the evolution of tumors recurrent in people who have undergone prostate cancer surgery with rising levels of PSA antigen and which can be attributed to pomegranate. prostate cancer preventive effect

The tanninswith an anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive mucosa, make it . Y su ácido cítrico disinfectsalkalizes urine and enhances the action of vitamin C (100 g provides 6 mg) and malic acid.

The peculiar composition of the pomegranate is associated with a series of important health benefits.

• Helps prevent cancer. The anthocyanins in pomegranate decrease the action of estrogen receptors, which helps prevent cancers such as breast cancer. This effect is also caused by flavonoids and is reinforced by the synergistic action of other antioxidants that prevent the development of tumor cells. Pomegranate is also considered useful in the prevention of prostate cancer.

• Regular consumption of pomegranate, both in the form of juice and its delicious grains, is a good way to reduce cardiovascular risk, as it prevents the concentration and oxidation of «bad» cholesterol (LDL) and improves the elasticity of the arteries. Its abundance of potassium also benefits the heart and cardiovascular system, which helps regulate blood pressure.

• It is light, digestive and purifying. It is a low-calorie fruit, due to its abundant water and low carbohydrate content. This quality is very useful in weight loss diets, when you want to reduce calorie intake, but also in fasts that aim to activate the body’s natural cleansing mechanisms. Although in smaller quantities than apple or pear, pomegranate also contains pectin, a soluble fiber that participates in its cleansing effect. In addition, its delicious grains are a notable source of non-soluble fiber, which satiates and promotes intestinal transit.

• Helps in case of diarrhea. Its richness in hydrolyzable tannins helps reduce inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, and its citric acid content makes it a good disinfectant, useful in case of infectious diarrhea.

• It is an aphrodisiac and improves fertility. In ancient Greece, Aphrodite was credited with planting the first pomegranate tree, so its fruit was linked to desire and even aphrodisiac powers were attributed to it. Furthermore, the pomegranate, like other fruits with abundant seeds, has been above all a and in many cultures it has been given to newlyweds, a custom that still persists in some regions of China. A study from the University of Edinburgh has proven that the juice increases testosterone levels by 30%. Both men and women noticed a improvement of sexual desire y del estado de ánimo. Other studies relate it to an improvement in erectile function, and an increase in the quantity and mobility of sperm.

Eating its grains is a unique experience, because when you chew them they explode in your mouth, flooding it with a sweet and sour juice very different from that of any other fruit.

The bright crimson grains are excellent for decorate salads or top a dessert, ice cream or even a savory vegetable pie.

with fruits such as pear, melon or more neutral ones such as apple. These fruit salads can be enriched with some raspberries and orange or pineapple juice.

They are also ideal for brush a muesli with color, especially if it is prepared with dates or almonds.

In many Arab countries it is quite common to use the juice in the preparation of sauces or use the grains as stuffed with various stews. Other times they use this fruit to cover some sweet cakes, especially marzipan.

An example is the muhammara lebanese sauce, with pomegranate juice, red pepper, walnuts, garlic, olive oil and paprika. This very Mediterranean sauce is as good as a sandwich as it is to dip raw vegetable sticks, such as carrots or celery.

How to shell it

An easy way to do this is to split a copy in two. Squeeze each half a little to loosen the grains, hold each half on a plate or bowl and, with the convex side of a spoon or the handle of a large mortar and pestle, the skin is hit so that the grains come off.

To finish, the small pieces of white membrane, with a bitter taste, that may have broken off, are removed.

Buying Tips

Pomegranates begin to appear on the market in mid-September, but it is in autumn when they are at their peak and the juiciest and most economical specimens can be purchased.

You can tell they are juicy if They feel heavy for their size and have very smooth skin, of a bright color with brown nuances.

Pomegranate juice, a powerful antioxidant

Spain is the largest producer of pomegranates in Europe but exports a large part of the production, and the juice, Although national brands of excellent quality are packaged, often comes in concentrate form from other countries, especially the United States. There the study of its properties has aroused great interest.

And it has been proven that Pomegranate juice has up to three times more antioxidants than green tea or red wine. It protects arterial walls, stimulates defenses and inhibits the circulation of cancer cells.

The bitter skin that separates the grains – which is discarded when eating the fruit – It is the one that contains the most active components: phenolic acids, flavonoids, hydrolyzable tannins and punicalagins. Hence the juicewhich includes the skin, mesocarp and arils of the fruit, considered more therapeutic. Pomegranate extract is also added to some juices, which is also used separately for medicinal purposes.

How to squeeze and drink pomegranate juice

You can use the classic manual orange juicer and then strain it, since electric utensils, such as blenders, break the structure of the grains excessively, and could leave a bitter taste.

This juice can be taken as is, with a little lemon or other juices such as apple, grape or carrot. Besides It is used to prepare sauces, ice creams or jellies with agar-agar.

With it you can also prepare the classic grenadine, a more or less thick pomegranate syrup which is made by reducing a mixture of juice with sugar and a little lemon juice over heat.

The grenadine It can be taken as a soft drink, diluted with cold water or crushed ice, or used to water fruit salads or pastry preparations and salads.

Health benefits of pomegranate juice

He regular juice consumption may result from help with health problems related to oxidative stress of cells:

• Cardiovascular problems. Its polyphenols reduce the risk, intensity and consequences of myocardial infarction, in addition to protecting the wall of the arteries and improving cardiac perfusion by 50%.
• Cholesterol. It inhibits the oxidation of bad (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol, which helps remove excess lipids from the arteries. Additionally, punicalagin inhibits triglyceride synthesis by 40%.
• Hypertension. Apart from promoting diuresis, it reduces blood pressure by inhibiting ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme).
• Digestive disorders. Due to its astringent and anti-inflammatory action on the digestive tract, it improves diarrhea from gastroenteritis and colitis and can relieve the symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
• . It helps reduce the degradation of articular cartilage thanks to its inhibitory effect on several enzymes.
• Infections. Increases resistance to flu and fights bacteria such as salmonella and intestinal parasites.
• Oral diseases. He…