Pomegranates

The pomegranate is a fruit so unusual and delicious that it has attracted attention throughout history, having been cultivated throughout the Mediterranean since ancient times. Because Persephone ate pomegranate seeds while in the underworld, she was doomed to spend part of each year there, resulting in the origin of winter in Greek mythology. The ancient Egyptians used pomegranate for its medicinal powers, even including the fruit in their elaborate burials. It’s mentioned in the holy books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Ayurvedic medicine uses all parts of the pomegranate—fruit, leaves, bark, and flowers. Pomegranate flowers, because of their astringent properties, were used in 19th-century English medicine to treat skin irritations, sore throats, and diarrhea.
Pomegranate juice is high in potassium and a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and many polyphenols and antioxidants, some of them unique to this fruit. It has demonstrated potential in the laboratory, including in preliminary human trials, for reducing several risks related to oxidation and atherosclerosis that are involved in heart disease. As an antioxidant, it has a moderate ORAC of 2,860 units per 100 grams.
The seed-juice sacs of a pomegranate, called “arils,” are a significant source of linolenic acid, which has shown some potential for combating insulin resistance.
Pomegranate seed oil has also been effective against breast cancer cells in the lab.
Nutritional Facts :
One medium raw pomegranate provides 105 calories, 26.4 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 0.9 g dietary fiber, 9 mg vitamin C, 9 mcg folic acid, 399 mg potassium, 5 mg sodium, 12 mg phosphorus, and 5 mg magnesium.
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