Why whine when you can have a pomegranate?
Here at Leafy Greens Café we’re getting really excited about pomegranates, for all the right reasons.
We love the way they look when we cut open the smooth skin to reveal the glistening jewel-like seeds inside – this is one fruit that can make you feel better about life just by looking at it!
Pomegranate makes a great smoothie ingredient or juice, as well as adding a pop of colour and natural sweetness to salads. Although the rind isn’t edible, really (it can be dried and blended and used as a powder in smoothies), the hundreds of seeds (or arils) inside certainly are, and they are packed with all sorts of goodness.
Pomegranate pearls, as we like to call them, are loaded with vitamins C and K as well as dietary fibre. Just 100g of pomegranate pearls can give you almost a fifth of the daily amount you need of each of these vitamins. They contain lots of resveratrol too, the dark pigment which builds immunity and promotes long life. There’s great news for pregnant women, too – pomegranates are rich in folate (folic acid) which is essential for the health of your unborn child.
Perhaps then it is no coincidence that in many cultures in the world, this amazing fruit is so strongly associated with fertility, whether more children or a better harvest. Certainly the number of seeds inside each pomegranate is impressive!
Pomegranates are also an important source of important antioxidants – so much so that it has been estimated that they have three times the antioxidant activity of green tea. They also contain significant fatty acids and the presence of these powerful plant compounds explains the many health benefits of eating pomegranate seeds or drinking the juice.
The anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate juice have been well documented, and may lead to reduced pain and discomfort from arthritis. The anti-bacterial properties of pomegranates seem to be particularly effective against gum infections, and some researchers have suggested a link with reduced risk of breast and prostate cancer.
In fact, pretty much the only negative thing we can find out about pomegranates is the ancient Greek myth of Persephone, who was tricked into eating six of the seeds while she was in the underworld, and as a result the world must endure six months of winter each year, before spring and summer return…
Pomegranate juice and seeds feature in many Middle-Eastern recipes (the region the fruit is originally from), both sweet and savoury. Our favourite though is the simplest: scoop the seeds out with a spoon and enjoy them immediately, or pour them over dairy-free ice cream to add a touch of magic to your dessert.
Just be aware of all those fertility stories!
Besides lots of fresh, organic pomegranates, there are several pomegranate products in our store.
Why not try the Pomegranate Molasses or the Pomegranate Coulis to tantalise your taste-buds...
#eatwelldogood #eatclean #eatraw #pomegranates
@antoniadeluca
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