A Bite of Paradise: Pomegranate, the Fruit of Heaven and its Amazing Nutritional Benefits

The pomegranate is a delicious fruit known for its ruby-red seeds. It has been a staple in many cultures for millennia, originating from Iran and northern India, and adding a delightful flavour to recipes. This sweet fruit has been cultivated and consumed for a long time across the Mediterranean region, in Asia, Africa, and Europe. It has also appeared in ancient Egyptian art and mythology and is mentioned in the Holy Quran.

God, the Almighty, mentions the pomegranate three times, in the Surahs Ar-Rahman and Al-An’am, referring to it as the “fruit of the people of Paradise.” In Surah Ar-Rahman, God says, “In the two Gardens there shall be fruits and date-palms and pomegranates.” In Surah Al-An’am, God says, “And He is the One Who sends down rain from the sky—causing all kinds of plants to grow—producing green stalks from which We bring forth clustered grain. And from palm trees come clusters of dates hanging within reach. ˹There are˺ also gardens of grapevines, olives, and pomegranates, similar ˹in shape˺ but dissimilar ˹in taste˺. Look at their fruit as it yields and ripens! Indeed, in these are signs for people who believe.”

Nutritional Facts

Pomegranate juice and its seeds, also known as arils, offer incredible nutritional benefits:

• Nutritional Value of Pomegranate Juice

According to the US Department of Agriculture, one cup of pomegranate juice contains:

      * 134 calories

* 0 grams protein

* 0.7 grams fat

* 33 grams carbohydrates

* 0 grams fiber

* 533 mg potassium

* 60 micrograms folate

* 22 mg sodium

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• Nutritional Value of Pomegranate Seeds

According to the same source, 3/4 cup of pomegranate arils contains:

      * 120 calories

* 2 grams protein

* 2 grams fat

* 26 grams carbohydrates

* 6 grams fiber

* 15 mg vitamin C

* 280 mg potassium

* 0 mg sodium

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Health Benefits of Pomegranates

Here are some benefits of regularly including pomegranates in your diet:

• Digestive Health

Tejal Pathak, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, explains that pomegranates are rich in fiber. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adult women consume 22-28 grams of fiber per day, and adult men consume 28-34 grams.

Since half a cup of pomegranate seeds contains 3.5 grams of fiber, adding pomegranates to your morning yogurt can significantly contribute to your fiber goals.

One of the most immediate benefits of getting enough fiber is improved digestive health. According to resources from the US National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, adequate fiber intake helps improve digestion and prevent constipation, benefits you may notice almost immediately.

It’s important to note that you only get fiber from eating pomegranate seeds, not the juice.

• Heart Health

Getting enough fiber, including the fiber found in pomegranate seeds, is linked to improved heart health. According to a 2021 review in Current Cardiology Reports, those who consume the highest amounts of fiber have a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Researchers attribute this lower risk to fiber’s ability to lower bad cholesterol (LDL), decrease blood pressure, and reduce inflammation.

Pathak also notes that pomegranates are high in potassium, which the American Heart Association says is an important nutrient when it comes to preventing high blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.

• Beneficial for Diabetics

Pathak says pomegranate juice may be beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes. For example, a 2019 study published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN found that participants with type 2 diabetes who drank about 200 grams of pomegranate juice daily had lower blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) after six weeks.

A 2019 review in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research suggests that pomegranate juice helps regulate fat metabolism in individuals with type 2 diabetes, reducing the risk of developing heart disease.

According to a 2022 review on antioxidants, there is substantial evidence linking some compounds in pomegranates to better blood sugar numbers and potential protection against oxidative stress and cell damage, which can worsen health outcomes for those with type 2 diabetes.

• Antioxidant Properties

Sarah Bflugrad, a registered dietitian, says pomegranates are high in anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that are alsoresponsible for their beautiful ruby-red colour. She says this is the main reason why researchers have been investigating the potential health benefits of pomegranates.

Bflugrad explains, “Low-grade chronic inflammation is known to be a root cause of many chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.”

Experts believe that the antioxidants in pomegranates may help fight this inflammation, thereby reducing the risk of these and other health conditions, according to a 2021 review in the International Journal of Functional Nutrition.

How to Cut and Eat a Pomegranate

Pomegranates are delicious when eaten on their own, but removing the seeds can be tricky. To get the arils, you can buy them by the cup from the market and use them as an addition to yogurt, salads, sandwiches, or as a filling for pastries. To cut them yourself, follow these steps:

• Tools Needed:
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s knife or paring knife
  • Wooden spoon or metal spoon
  • Large bowl
• Cutting Method:
  • Cut the pomegranate in half, being careful not to cut through the rind and reach the seeds. Go all the way around the fruit in a circular motion.
  • Use your fingers to separate the halves and pull them apart.
  • If the pomegranate is ripe, the halves will come apart. If not, cut the fruit deeper and try again.
• Removing Pomegranate Seeds:
  • To get the seeds out of the membrane, grab your spoon and bowl. The wider the bowl, the easier it will be to catch all the seeds by gently tapping on the pomegranate rind.
  • Turn the pomegranate half in your hand and use the back of the spoon to press gently on the back of the fruit, causing the seeds to fall into the bowl.
  • Rotate the cut fruit half and the spoon while tapping to make sure you’re tapping all sides of the fruit and not leaving any seeds hidden in the membranes. Repeat with the other half of the fruit.
  • Remove any small pieces of white membrane that may have fallen into the bowl with the seeds.

Within seconds, the pomegranate seeds will be completely removed and ready to be served in fruit salad, to garnish a cocktail, or to be enjoyed as a snack.