All about the Pomegranate

Fruit

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the oldest fruits known to humans; it's deeply embedded in our history. For thousands of years, it has been a vital provider of food and medicine across different cultures and civilizations. The genus name given to pomegranates (Punica) came from the Roman name for Carthage, an ancient city in Northern Africa. The Romans mistakenly assumed pomegranates derived from Africa. In fact, pomegranates are considered to have originated from Iran, south-west Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan. It was also given a classical Latin name, Malum granatum, meaning "grainy apple".

In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the ‘fruit of the dead’ as it was said to have arisen from the blood of Adonis. It also prominently featured in the myth of Hades and Persephone. Hades, the God of the underworld, used pomegranate seeds to trick Persephone into returning to the underworld for a few months of every year. Alongside death, the pomegranate symbolised fertility in Ancient Greece and Rome. It had a strong association to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, as well as Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage and childbirth. In Ancient Rome, newlywed women wore crowns woven from pomegranate leaves, and the juice of pomegranates was used to cure infertility.

In the holy Quran, pomegranates grow in the Garden of Paradise and are referred to on multiple occasions as God’s good creations. The pomegranate is also said to be found in the Garden of Eden according to Ancient Iranian Christianity and was believed to be the real forbidden fruit rather than the apple. During the non-Christian Iranian tradition, Yalda Night, people come together on winter solstice and eat pomegranate fruit to celebrate the victory of light over darkness.

Pomegranate is a bush or small tree of the family Lythraceae and its fruit. The juicy arils of the fruit are eaten fresh, and the juice is the source of grenadine syrup, used in flavourings and liqueurs. Pomegranate is high in dietary fibre, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Pomegranates are round, red fruits. They feature a white inner flesh that’s packed with crunchy, juicy edible seeds called arils. They may be best known for the vibrantly coloured juice they’re often used in, but these unique fruits have a lot more to offer.

The plant, which may attain 5 or 7 metres (16 or 23 feet) in height, has elliptic to lance-shaped, bright-green leaves about 7.5 cm (3 inches) long. The handsome axillary orange-red flowers are borne toward the ends of the branchlets. The calyx (comprising the sepals) is tubular and persistent and has five to seven lobes; the petals are lance-shaped, inserted between the calyx lobes. The ovary is embedded in the calyx tube and contains several compartments in two series, one above the other. The fruit is the size of a large orange, obscurely six-sided, with a smooth leathery skin that ranges from brownish yellow to red; within, it is divided into several chambers containing many thin transparent arils of reddish, juicy pulp, each surrounding an angular elongated seed.

Overall, pomegranates are low in calories and fat but high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. The nutrition for the arils in one Trusted Source average pomegranate: Calories: 234; Protein: 4.7 grams (g); Fat: 3.3 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Fibre: 11.3 g; Vitamin C: 32% of the Daily Value (DV); Folate: 27% of the DV; Magnesium: 8% of the DV; Phosphorus: 8% of the DV; Potassium: 13% of the DV. Keep in mind that the nutritional information for pomegranate and arils differs from that of pomegranate juice, which won’t provide much fibre or vitamin C. In short, pomegranates in their whole fruit form are low in calories and fat and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Cultivation: While the pomegranate is considered indigenous to Iran and neighbouring countries, its cultivation long ago encircled the Mediterranean and extended through the Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan, and India. It is commonly cultivated in the Americas from the warmer parts of the United States to Chile.

Though the pomegranate grows in a wide range of climates, good fruit is produced only where high temperatures and dry atmosphere accompany the ripening period. Deep, rather heavy loams appear to be the best soils. Seeds can readily be grown, but choice varieties are reproduced by cutting and layerings. Commercial propagation is performed by taking hardwood cuttings 250–300 mm (10–12 inches) long and rooting them in the open ground.

Health and Nutritional Benefits 

As stated earlier, pomegranates are low in calories and fat but high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Benefits include antioxidants, heart health, urinary health, exercise endurance, and more.

Compounds in pomegranate may help protect brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

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Pomegranates in their whole fruit form are low in calories and fat and high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Pomegranates are rich in an array of antioxidants that help protect your cells from free radical damage. Although more research is needed, pomegranates contain compounds that may help prevent chronic inflammation associated with disease. Pomegranate has been observed to have anticancer effects. It may slow tumour growth and spread and reduce inflammation, although more research is needed to learn more. Compounds in pomegranate may reduce blood pressure, decrease plaque buildup, and reduce chest pain. Certain compounds in pomegranate may help prevent kidney stones. Pomegranates contain compounds that help fight off potentially harmful bacteria, fungi, and yeasts - particularly germs in the mouth that can cause bad breath and tooth decay. Pomegranates contain compounds that may improve endurance and recovery. Compounds in pomegranate may help protect brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Pomegranate arils are also rich in fibre, which serves as fuel for probiotics and helps prevent certain digestive health conditions.

Bhushan Lal Razdan, formerly of the Indian Revenue Service, retired as Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Chandigarh.