Pomegranate: everything you need to know about the exotic superfruit
Superfood, power fruit, natural remedy and simply delicious – the pomegranate promises all that and much more. Whether as a snack between meals, as a topping on sweet and savory dishes, or as a refreshing juice to drink, pomegranates are becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason. If only it weren't for the annoying peeling to get to the fruit's promising pits. But there are a few tricks that can help. If you are still too lazy and still don't want to miss out on the pleasure, you can, for example, reach for pomegranate juice in raw food quality. So everyone will certainly get their money's worth and enjoy this exotic fruit.
Where does the fruit come from?
It is not entirely clear where the pomegranate comes from. However, scientists assume that it is already a proud 5,000 years old and that it originally came from West to Central Asia. In the meantime, the exotic fruit has become a well-known superfood and so the pomegranate is now grown in India, Brazil, China and Israel, among other places, but the pomegranate can now also be found in European countries such as Spain and Italy. The fruit grows and thrives best where there is a tropical or subtropical climate.
What is a pomegranate actually?
Contrary to what the name might mistakenly suggest, this fruit is by no means an apple. Rather, the pomegranate, also known as punica granatum, belongs to the willow-rich family. This makes it one of the berries in the broadest sense, more precisely one of the dried berries, since the skin becomes drier and harder with increasing ripeness. But the real treasure is hidden inside the fruit. If you break open the exotic fruit, the edible seeds are revealed. They lie in so-called amniotic sacs and are divided into small chambers by thin white walls.
Pomegranate: how to get the healthy seeds
How do you properly open a pomegranate? And what is the best way to get the seeds out of the pomegranate? Anyone who has ever bought and prepared a pomegranate knows the work behind it. It takes a true declaration of war to get to the valuable seeds of this red fruit. There are a variety of ways to do this. A kitchen apron and disposable gloves are always advisable, because the stains are difficult to wash out. With a few skillful moves, however, you can also master this challenge. A relatively safe method, which takes away the danger of having to repaper everything afterwards, is to peel the pomegranate under water. All you need is a large bowl full of water and a sharp knife. First you cut the fruit in half and then put the halves in the water to squeeze the seeds out of the shell. The wooden spoon method is not quite as sprinkle-safe. The fruit is cut in half and then smashed in half with a wooden spoon over a bowl to knock out the seeds. It can also be helpful to roll the pomegranate back and forth before opening to loosen the seeds slightly. Whichever variant you choose, it is advisable to carefully remove the white fruit skin, as this tastes rather bitter and tart.
Pomegranate without the hassle of chopping
One thing is certain, crushing and working out the pomegranate seeds takes a lot of time and patience. Those who dare will be rewarded and can taste the exotic aroma. If the risk of speckles, which by the way look deceptively real like blood stains, is too deterrent, you don't have to do without. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives available these days. Those who are primarily interested in the health-promoting properties of pomegranates can now also find the superfood as a dry extract in capsules. If you prefer to savor the pleasure and the full taste, the best thing to do is to reach for organic pomegranate juice. The purchase of ready-made pomegranate juice saves effort and work in any case, especially if consumed regularly.
The pomegranate is so healthy
It is not without reason that the pomegranate has been known as a divine fruit since ancient times. It is even mentioned again and again in the Bible and the Koran and associated with fertility, love, youth and beauty . Over the course of time, the pomegranate has been learned to appreciate more and more as a natural medicine and numerous studies have been able to prove the health effects. The power fruit is rich in vitamin C, potassium, calcium and iron. In particular, the antioxidative effect, which has so far been proven to a large extent in green tea and red wine, is also evident in pomegranate juice. In addition, pomegranate is said to help with digestive problems, increase libido , counteract sore muscles and have a positive effect on the figure. One thing is certain, the red fruit is always healthy.
Take away
Pomegranate is not only delicious, but also healthy. It is up to you whether you actually want to go to the trouble of preparing this fruit yourself. For those who decide against it, however, this does not mean doing without the power fruit, because you can just as easily use high-quality organic pomegranate juice in raw food quality. Experts recommend a consumption of ½ to 1 glass per day so that the pomegranate can develop its full effect. Ice-chilled and refreshing, pomegranate juice is a healthy and welcome summer drink or a healthy on-the-go snack.
