What do you do with a pomegranate? For one thing, you can pop the seeds into your mouth and enjoy. Or you can sprinkle the seeds over salads, fruit desserts, cakes, or puddings; use them in marinades, glazes, and for garnish; and top waffles, oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, or ice cream with them.
One medium pomegranate yields about a 3/4 cup of seeds or 1/2 cup of juice.
Then there's the age-old question: Do you eat the pits inside the seeds or spit them out? According to the Pomegranate Council, you decide. The fiber you get from eating pomegranates comes from the entire seed, which provides a crunchy, healthy, daily dose of fiber.
Store pomegranates at room temperature – out of direct sun. They are shipped ripe and ready to eat. You can refrigerate them in plastic bags. Seeds can be frozen separately.
Split open the hard fruit to reveal a mass of red seeds in a spongy white membrane. Only the sweet-tart seeds and their juice are edible.
How Healthy Is the Pomegranate?
Juice extracted from the seeds contains high levels of antioxidants – much higher than other fruits, according to a Mayo Clinic report. Some studies now show that pomegranate juice can protect the heart by reducing bad levels of cholesterol.
Some cautions: Like grapefruit juice, pom juice might affect how your body uses certain prescriptions drugs. For example, it may cause blood pressure medicine to be stronger and lower blood pressure too much. Ask your doctor about your concerns if you drink this juice regularly.
Pomegranate juice is also being tested in research studies to see if it can help slow the growth of cancer cells. |
