Snack on the crunchy seeds or drink its tart juice for powerful polyphenols and lots of fiber.
Heres why pomegranates should be on your radar, and more importantly, on your plate.
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What Are Pomegranates?
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Pomegranates are round fruits that are in season from September to January.
They originate from Africa and are thought to come from the countries along the Arabian Peninsula.
The pomegranates medicinal properties have been harnessed throughout history, dating back thousands of years.
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Pomegranate seeds are also quite good for you thanks to a number of impressive healthy nutrients and benefits.
Pomegranates (including the juice) are packed with antioxidants.
Fruits are generally rich sources of antioxidants, and pomegranates are a prime example of this.
Caitlin Bensel
Pomegranates are a good source of gut-friendly fiber and polyphenols.
Dietary fiber is one of the most potent nutrients found in pomegranates.
The impressive fiber content isnt the only gut-healthy reason to eat more pomegranate.
CAITLIN BENSEL
As the beneficial microbes increase, the more harmful types decrease.
Pomegranates can support a healthy heart.
Some say that certain foods resemble the organs whose functions they support.
For example, walnuts are beneficial for brain health and somewhat resemble the human brain in appearance.
Similarly, pomegranates, which loosely resemble the heart, support cardiovascular health.
There are several ways pomegranates can protect your heart, Kulp says.
Greg DuPree
Its also said to improve artery health by preventing the buildup of plaque.
Pomegranates may also help reverse narrowing of the arteries known as atherosclerosis, older research suggests.
Pomegranates may boost athletic performance.
Both sports dietitians, Ehsani and Moriarty, are big fans of pomegranates potential to increase exercise performance.
Pomegranates may improve blood sugar control.
Fruits contain naturally occurring sugars, pomegranate included, though pomegranates definitely make thelist of lower-sugar fruits.
So can people with diabetes eat pomegranates?
In fact, this fruit could help keep blood sugar levels under control.
Do Pomegranates Have Any Side Effects?
Those taking certain medications should also check with their doctor to confirm they dont interact with pomegranates.
Incorporating pomegranate into your regular meal plan is easy and the options are close to endless.
The simplest way: Snack on pomegranate seeds by themselves.
This is easiest and most delicious when pomegranates are in season during the fall and winter months.
When theyre not in season, you could typically buy pre-made pomegranate juice from most supermarkets.
The seeds are the best-tasting part of the pomegranate and have the most culinary applications, Chou says.
She recommends sprinkling them over salads or serving them alongside vegetables to incorporate them into savory recipes.
This is because juicing any fruit removes most of its fiber, which is an essential nutrient.
That said, many of the studies on the benefits of pomegranate use pomegranate juice.
Both the seeds and juice can be beneficial.
2020;44(3):e13145.
doi:10.1111/jfbc.13145
Sharma P, McClees SF, Afaq F.Pomegranate for prevention and treatment of cancer: An update.Molecules.
Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO.The health benefits of dietary fibre.Nutrients.
2022;11(3):553. doi:10.3390/antiox11030553
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Pomegranate.
2023;28(5):2117. doi:10.3390/molecules28052117
American Heart Association.Just how healthy are pomegranates?Published 2021.
