Pomegranate

Alyssa Andrade NF-25: Essentials of Nutrition Fall 2012

What is a Pomegranate?
Pomegranate is an Each seed is surrounded orange-sized fruit with a by a juice-filled sac. tough reddish outer Depending on the skin. individual pomegranate, The shell begins yellow the juice could be and then turns into a extremely sour or rich red when matured. pleasantly tart, with some sweetness of Inside the inedible shell course. are individual cells containing seeds that are edible.

The King of All Fruits

Pomegranate is an ancient fruit with a history in myth, symbol, art, medicine, and religion The ancients believed that the pomegranate was gifted with magical properties
Naming the fruit, King of all fruits

The Egyptian Pharaohs admired the fresh juice of the pomegranate and believed that it strengthens the body and spirit
They even carved beautiful icons of pomegranates on their pyramids

The Italians believed that Adam and Eve fell from grace in the Garden of Eden after Eve took a bite of a pomegranate Not an apple! The ancient Greeks believed that pomegranate juice was a love potion
They proclaim that the first pomegranate tree was developed on the Greek Island of Cyprus by Aphrodite the Goddess of Love
Some cultures place the fruit in the bedroom of newlyweds to encourage fertility

The ancient Greeks also used pomegranate to decorate their jewelry and other decorations

Growing Pomegranate

Pomegranate is the fruit of a bush, native to the Middle East region Now, it is commercially grown in California and other areas with similar climate They are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers A pomegranate tree could be severely injured by temperatures below 12F

A little about the Pomegranate tree

The pomegranate tree is usually a rounded shrub or small tree It can grow up to 20 30 feet tall, but typically only grows to 12 16 feet The truck of the tree or shrub is covered by redbrown bark which later becomes gray They grow best in the sunniest, warmest part of the yard or orchard The pomegranate does best in well-drained ordinary soil They only have to be watered every 2 to 4 weeks during the dry season

In-Season

Typically, Pomegranates are in season from October to December But here in California, they are available to us from August to November

Pomegranates Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 fruit
Calories: 105 Total Fat: 0.46g Sodium: 5mg Total Carbohydrates: 26.44g Dietary Fiber: 0.9g Sugars: 25.52g Protein: 1.46g

3.32% of Vitamin A 15.67% of Vitamin C 0.5% of Calcium 2.56% of Iron

Health Benefits of Pomegranates

It is shown to be an anti-cancer agent
Because of the antioxidant effects

Eating pomegranate could help prevent heart disease, cholesterol, and also foam cell formation
One study showed that pomegranate was found to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) by 90%, meaning that it reduces fatty deposits built up in the arteries and veins

They are also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Folic Acid, and Iron Also, they are a great source of fiber, which not only helps with cholesterol, but also improving digestive functions

Kiwi Salsa with Pomegranate

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 ripe kiwifruit, peeled, and carefully chopped cup pomegranate seeds avocado, peeled, and chopped 1 heaping tablespoon thinly sliced green onion 1 tablespoon (adjust to taste) of chopped fresh jalapeo chili peppers (no seeds) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl Adjust jalapeos, salt, and pepper to your preference And SERVE

***Makes about 1 cups***

 https://www.puregranate.com/pomegranatejuice-facts/pomegranate-fruit-history.php http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-apomegranate.htm http://www.npr.org/2011/07/15/6411097/pome granates-jewels-in-the-fruit-crown http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pomegranate.html http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/22-factsabout-pomegranates.html http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15710/1/P omegranate-Nutrition-Facts-and-HealthBenefits.html

NF-25: Essentials to Nutrition

This Wellness Book has taught me
To include more Superfoods into my diet The importance of whole foods How to meet my My Plate goals The importance of water and that I need to drink A LOT more of it And to always aim for 80% to 120% when it comes to DRI goals
When doing my 3-day diet I was extremely low on everything, but now Im trying to include all the right foods to help stay within those percentages