Summer is my favorite season. I love the heat, the sun, being poolside, visits to the ocean…all of that! But it’s the vegetables and the harvest of the fall and winter that get me through those seasons because I really can’t take it when the temperature dips below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pomegranates are a fruit that I look forward to this time of the year and in addition to the great taste, they are full of goodness that benefits our health.
The little red round densely packed fruit inside of the pomegranate are called arils. They contain fiber, vitamins like C and folate, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, fat, protein, and iron. They are rich in antioxidants which may help fight inflammation and cancer.
Reported on medicalnewstoday.com, in a 2016 clinical trial, 38 people with ortho arthritis of the knee consumed pomegranate juice for 6 weeks. Results suggest that the juice helped to reduce the breakdown of cartilage. And that the participants reported better function and less stiffness. The same article mentioned that pomegranate juice may help lower blood pressure and protect the heart and arteries.
Probably one of the most exciting properties of the Pomegranate is that it contains an anti-aging substance. In an article written by Andrei Lonescu on earth.com, it is noted that new research led by the University of Washington has found that a substance in pomegranates called “urolithin A” could be used to create novel anti-aging treatments that strengthen muscles and mitochondrial health and thus protect against frailty in old age. I say “Just eat the fruit!”
Interested in ways to incorporate pomegranates in your diet? Sprinkle them on top of your salad, oatmeal, yogurt, or juice them; use the juice in cocktails. I have used them in salad dressings. I’ve seen recipes where folks use them in meat marinades and sauces. The way I enjoy them is by the cupful simply eating them with a spoon (I had to say that. The truth is I use my fingers)!
In conclusion, don’t hesitate to make pomegranates a daily part of your diet while these beauties are in season. This is a decision you won’t regret, and you just might reap some very real health benefits!
Teresa