Where are pomegranates from?
Pomegranates were born in Iran or was it Northern India? Academics disagree but they definitely still grow wild in the woods in the area. Pomegranates are so ancient one of the original names was the apple of Carthage and there have been theories that pomegranates are the 'apple' in the biblical Garden Of Eden. What can I say? Highly prized.
What do pomegranates look like?
I'm round and usually blushing red or yellow. The heavier I am the juicier I am likely to be, don't bother taking my small, glossy, pretty in pink chums home, I'm MUCH better a little older with darker, looser skin.
And on the inside of a pomegranate?
Underneath I'm bursting with scores of edible little white seeds. I hold them in jewel-like, ruby-coloured sacs filled with sweet, juicy flesh. The sacs themselves are packed in a bitter, pale yellow pith. Don't eat that, eat the rest!
You might like to see how I taste in this delicious recipe - https://www.realfoods.co.uk/recipe/beetroot-pomegranate-grapefruit-juice
What do pomegranates do?
A study in 2006 found that drinking a daily glass (227ml) of pomegranate juice significantly slowed the progress of prostate cancer in men with recurring prostate cancer.
A good quality study from 2004 on patients with cartoid artery stenosis (narrowed arteries) found that a daily glass of 50ml (1.7oz) of pomegranate juice over three years reduced the damage caused by cholesterol in the artery by almost half, and also cut cholesterol build-up.
A well-conducted trial from 2005 on 45 patients with coronary heart disease demonstrated that a daily drink of 238ml (8.4oz) of pomegranate juice administered over three months resulted in improved blood flow to the heart and a lower risk of heart attack. However this was a small trial and the positive results could simply be chance.
All I can say is, study me further and we'll see exactly what I can do...
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