Antioxidants provide our bodies with numerous health benefits, and it’s only logical to include fruits and foods that contain antioxidants in our daily diet.
Pomegranates have just that… a high level of antioxidants. Aside from its rich flavor and the number of ways to eat and drink it, studies have shown that pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, cranberries and even red wine!
By including pomegranate in your daily diet you can improve your blood flow and, in so doing… help prevent heart diseases such as heart attacks, stroke or clogged arteries.
Pomegranate also promotes healthy blood pressure levels and low cholesterol. Pomegranate juice can be helpful for men as well… as studies have concluded that it may help prevent prostate cancer and growth.
The pomegranate fruit contains many antioxidants for our bodies and eating it daily is beneficial for your health. However remember to always mix plenty of different fruits in your diet. While pomegranate is great, you should always include other fruits and juices as well.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Health Benefits Of Pomegranite Juice
Many are starting to switch their morning orange juice to pomegranite juice. Why? Very simply, studies have shown that the juice of the pomegranate fruit is the most potent of all when it comes to antioxidants. Pomegranate Juice can be found in a variety of forms including Pomegranate Concentrate, Pomegranate Tea ,Pomegranate Seed Oil, Pomegranate Molasses and even Pomegranate Sauce !. There are even Pomegranate Capsules & Pomegranate Tablets which you can buy as a supplement if you find preparing them slow! Obviously buying pure pomegranate juice would have the best health benefit. Pomegranates are meant to be an excellent way of lowering cholesterol and also there is also a Pomegranate Detox and diet program!
Aside from its great taste, pomegranite juice helps our bodies in a number of ways. Studies have shown that pomegranate helps prevent hardening of the arteries as well. This is most commonly known as atherosclerosis. By preventing the buildup of material in our arteries, pomegranite juice also reduces the chances of heart attack and stroke. By switching to pomegranite juice, you’re protecting yourself from heart disease, cholesterol and even stress!
So you may be wondering, what about other natural fruit juices? They’re good for your health as well, but pomegranate tops them all! In a study of other fruit juices such as grape juice, blueberry, orange and even wine, pomegranite juice topped above them all with the highest amount of natural antioxidants. I myself was a daily green tea drinker. But guess what? Pomegranate contains more antioxidants than green tea, too. Simply stated, pomegranite juice contains the high amount of the antioxidants your body needs to stay healthy and strong.
Pomegranite juice also works well as a blood thinner, suggesting that it might be an excellent agent for promoting blood flow to the heart. In addition to reducing plaque in the arteries, it raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol.
Research has also evaluated the antioxidant nature of pom juice and its potential usefulness in fighting certain forms of cancer. Pom juice has been shown to reduce incidence of both breast and skin cancer. And it has also been shown to slow the growth of prostate cancer in mice.
In terms of the effects of pomegranite juice on osteoarthritis… pom juice acts as an enzyme inhibitor to protect against cartilage damage, when applied directly. It’s hoped that further research will establish a cause and effect relationship between oral ingestion of pom juice and a reduction in in the deterioration of cartilage.
No further studies are required to prove that pomegranite juice it healthy to drink. There are numerous pom juice products available… some quite highly priced because of its high degree of popularity. But it’s likely that the price will continue to come down as market forces find better and cheaper ways of making it available.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Something about Pomegranate
Pomegranate Seeds
Sprinkle these garnet jewels over a salad to turn the greens festive and seasonal.
Garnish rice dishes with pomegranate seeds to add bursts of color and flavor.
Finish a stack of pancakes or waffles with a tumble of the colorful seeds.
Sprinkle these garnet jewels over a salad to turn the greens festive and seasonal.
Garnish rice dishes with pomegranate seeds to add bursts of color and flavor.
Finish a stack of pancakes or waffles with a tumble of the colorful seeds.
How to Remove the Seeds Cut off the pomegranate’s crown, then divide into sections. Place the sections in a bowl of water. Gently roll out the arils with your fingers. Discard everything else. Drain the water, and the seeds are ready to use.
Pomegranate Molasses
Use this thick syrup cooked down from pomegranate juice in a number of exciting ways. It lends a sweet and sour flavor, much like tamarind. Brush the molasses on chicken before grilling for a crisp, slightly tart finish. Toss roasted vegetables in a bit of pomegranate molasses right before serving for lovely color and added flavor. Add the molasses to a stock to make a tangy sauce for duck or lamb.
Use this thick syrup cooked down from pomegranate juice in a number of exciting ways. It lends a sweet and sour flavor, much like tamarind. Brush the molasses on chicken before grilling for a crisp, slightly tart finish. Toss roasted vegetables in a bit of pomegranate molasses right before serving for lovely color and added flavor. Add the molasses to a stock to make a tangy sauce for duck or lamb.
How to Create Pomegranate Molasses Juice a pomegranate and blend the seeds until a juice is formed. Then, strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve or a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Extract the juice from the seeds, then cook down until a thick reduction forms. Or purchase pomegranate molasses from a specialty purveyor.
Did you know? Most of the fiber content in a pomegranate comes from the arils. Suggest your customers eat them whole.
Did you know? Most of the fiber content in a pomegranate comes from the arils. Suggest your customers eat them whole.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Pomegranate
The sparkling, red jewels of the pomegranate offer a crowning glory to holiday dishes.
Why are Pomegranates Hot?
Perhaps diners are seeking them out because pomegranates are naturally fat-free, saturated fat-free, cholesterol-free and a source of vitamin C and potassium. Or it could be because they’re a naturally good source of antioxidants. Whatever the reason, pomegranates offer a tasty way to add color and variety to your dishes. Plus, they can help your customers meet theFDA's recommended goal of two cups of fruit a day.
How to size up a Pomegranate
Pomegranates, about the size of an orange, have leathery, reddish-pink skin. Inside, bitter membrane separates little sacs filled with hundreds of seeds. A translucent red pulp that has a slightly sweet and tart taste surrounds these seeds—those juicy, ruby-red arils are what you’re after. Select fruit that is heavy for its size with bright, fresh color and blemish-free skin.
Why are Pomegranates Hot?
Perhaps diners are seeking them out because pomegranates are naturally fat-free, saturated fat-free, cholesterol-free and a source of vitamin C and potassium. Or it could be because they’re a naturally good source of antioxidants. Whatever the reason, pomegranates offer a tasty way to add color and variety to your dishes. Plus, they can help your customers meet theFDA's recommended goal of two cups of fruit a day.
How to size up a Pomegranate
Pomegranates, about the size of an orange, have leathery, reddish-pink skin. Inside, bitter membrane separates little sacs filled with hundreds of seeds. A translucent red pulp that has a slightly sweet and tart taste surrounds these seeds—those juicy, ruby-red arils are what you’re after. Select fruit that is heavy for its size with bright, fresh color and blemish-free skin.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Organic Pomegranate Skincare from Pomega5
It surprised us when we searched for “pomegranate” in our list of archives that we really haven’t done a feature on them yet. We’ve mentioned them as a flavor forlollipops, tea and even a cocktail delight but nothing in specific detail. Maybe it’s because the benefits of pomegranates are so widely known these days that we think you, our dear readers, are educated enough about them. Here’s one thing we bet you didn’t know: because pomegranate seed oil is one of the most powerful immune-support compounds ever discovered in nature, it’s now being used for skin care as well. Pomega5 is the skin care industry’s first complete line of organic pomegranate seed oil nutritional supplements and therapeutic skin care.
By using the highest quality, 100% pure cold-pressed pomegranate seed oil, Pomega5 has created a unique line of products that soothe, moisturize and heal dry, irritated skin which is perfect for us. We tried the Healing Cleansing Bar which is a soap-free cleanser made with olive oil, organic pomegranate seed oil, herbs and essential oils. We liked how clean our skin felt without feeling tight. We followed this with the Healing Cream which was equally soothing. Again, made with 100% organic pomegranate oil, it’s also known for benefits such as restoring and healing in addition to preventing anti-aging. Oh…and did we mention the smell? Yuuummy. The only aspect of Pomega5 to improve upon that this TreeHugger could find was their packaging. The products came in an over-sized box filled with Styrofoam peanuts. But not to worry – we followed the How to Green Your Recycling advice and reused the box and recycled those pesky things. ::Pomega5
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Pomegranate's Nutrient and Health Benefit
Nutrients and phytochemicals
Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), potassium and antioxidant polyphenols. The most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate juice are the hydrolyzable tannins called punicalagins which have free-radical scavenging properties in laboratory experiments. Punicalagins are absorbed into the human body and may have dietary value as antioxidants, but conclusive proof of efficacy in humans has not yet been shown. Other phytochemicals include polyphenols catechins, gallocatechins, and anthocyanins such as prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin. The ORAC (antioxidant capacity) of pomegranate juice was measured at 2,860 units per 100 grams. Many food and dietary supplement makers have found advantages of using pomegranate phenolic extracts as ingredients in their products instead of the juice. One of these extracts is ellagic acid which may become bioavailable only after parent molecule punicalagins are metabolized. However, ingested ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not accumulate in the blood in significant quantities and is rapidly excreted. Accordingly, ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not appear to be biologically important in vivo.
Potential health benefits
In preliminary laboratory research and human pilot studies, juice of the pomegranate was effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, may inhibit viral infections, and may have antibacterial effects against dental plaque. Containing polyphenols which inhibit estrogen synthesis, pomegranate seed oil was effective against proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro. Pomegranates are listed as high-fiber in charts of nutritional value. That fiber, as well as the unsaturated fat they offer, is mostly contained in the seeds. People that choose to discard the seeds forfeit most of the benefits conveyed by the fiber and fat.
Clinical trial rationale and activity
Metabolites of pomegranate juice ellagitannins localize specifically in the prostate gland, colon, and intestinal tissues of mice, leading to clinical studies of pomegranate juice or fruit extracts for efficacy against several diseases.In 2008, 17 clinical trials were underway to examine the effects of pomegranate juice consumption on diseases shown below
Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), potassium and antioxidant polyphenols. The most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate juice are the hydrolyzable tannins called punicalagins which have free-radical scavenging properties in laboratory experiments. Punicalagins are absorbed into the human body and may have dietary value as antioxidants, but conclusive proof of efficacy in humans has not yet been shown. Other phytochemicals include polyphenols catechins, gallocatechins, and anthocyanins such as prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin. The ORAC (antioxidant capacity) of pomegranate juice was measured at 2,860 units per 100 grams. Many food and dietary supplement makers have found advantages of using pomegranate phenolic extracts as ingredients in their products instead of the juice. One of these extracts is ellagic acid which may become bioavailable only after parent molecule punicalagins are metabolized. However, ingested ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not accumulate in the blood in significant quantities and is rapidly excreted. Accordingly, ellagic acid from pomegranate juice does not appear to be biologically important in vivo.
Potential health benefits
In preliminary laboratory research and human pilot studies, juice of the pomegranate was effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, may inhibit viral infections, and may have antibacterial effects against dental plaque. Containing polyphenols which inhibit estrogen synthesis, pomegranate seed oil was effective against proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro. Pomegranates are listed as high-fiber in charts of nutritional value. That fiber, as well as the unsaturated fat they offer, is mostly contained in the seeds. People that choose to discard the seeds forfeit most of the benefits conveyed by the fiber and fat.
Clinical trial rationale and activity
Metabolites of pomegranate juice ellagitannins localize specifically in the prostate gland, colon, and intestinal tissues of mice, leading to clinical studies of pomegranate juice or fruit extracts for efficacy against several diseases.In 2008, 17 clinical trials were underway to examine the effects of pomegranate juice consumption on diseases shown below
- prostate cancer
- prostatic hyperplasia
- diabetes
- lymphoma
- rhinovirus infection (completed, July 2008)
- common cold (completed, June, 2007)
- oxidative stress in hemodialysis
- atherosclerosis
- coronary artery disease (completed, September, 2005)
from Wikipedia
Introduct to Pomegranate
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout Georgia, Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, India, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, the drier parts of southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, the East Indies, and tropical Africa. Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is now cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production. In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically in season from September to February. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is in season from March to May.
About 760 different local varieties of pomegranate have been recognized in Iran. These varieties have been collected in Agricultural Research Institute, Yazd, Iran. The most famous varieties are Soveh, Sioh, Rabob, Aghaei, Ardestony, Shisheh cap, Shirin Shahvor, Bajestony, Malas e Daneh Siah, Touq Gardan, Khazar, Shecar e Ashraf (Behshahr), Alak, Arous, Farouq, Rahab, Khafar e Shiraz, Ferdous e Khorasan, Bi daneh Sangan.
Foliage and fruit
Pomegranate flowers and leaves
The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with four to five petals (often more on cultivated plants). Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone. The edible fruit is a berry and is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin and around 600 seeds. The seeds and surrounding pulp, ranging in color from white to deep red, are called arils. There are some cultivars which have been introduced that have a range of pulp colors such as purple.
Punica granatum nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly used as Bonsai trees and as a patio plant. The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate (Punica protopunica), which is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. Pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They are tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −10°C (14°F).[citation needed]
Etymology
The name "pomegranate" derives from Latin pomum ("apple") and granatus ("seeded"). This has influenced the common name for pomegranate in many languages (e.g., German Granatapfel, seeded apple). In early English, the Pomegranate was known as "apple of Grenada" -- a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons. This was probably a folk etymology, confusing Latin granatus with the Spanish city of Granada. The genus name Punica is named for the Phoenicians, who were active in broadening its cultivation, partly for religious reasons. In classical Latin, where "malum" was broadly applied to many apple-like fruits, the pomegranate's name was malum punicum or malum granatum, the latter giving rise to the Italian name melograno, or less commonly melagrana.
A widespread root for "pomegranate" comes from the Ancient Egyptian rmn, from which derive the Hebrew rimmôn, and Arabic rummân. This root was given by Arabs to other languages, including Portuguese (romã), Kabyle rrumman and Maltese "rummien". The pomegranate ('rimmôn') is mentioned in the Bible as one of the seven fruits/plants that Israel was blessed with, and in Hebrew, 'rimmôn' is also the name of the weapon now called the grenade. According to Webster's New Spanish-English Dictionary, "granada," the Spanish word for "pomegranate," could also mean "grenade." According to the OED, the word "grenade" originated about 1532 from the French name for the pomegranate, la grenade. La grenade also gives us the word grenadine, the name of a kind of fruit syrup, originally made from pomegranates, which is widely used as a cordial and in cocktails.
Origin, cultivation and uses
The pomegranate is native to the region of Persia and has been cultivated in Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Mediterranean region for several millennia.
In Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, there are wild pomegranate groves outside of ancient abandoned settlements. The cultivation of the pomegranate has a long history in Transcaucasia where decayed remains of pomegranates dating back to 1000 BC have been found. The Kur-Araz lowland is the largest area in this region where pomegranate is cultivated. Carbonized exocarp of the fruit has been identified in Early Bronze Age levels of Jericho, as well as Late Bronze Age levels of Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus and Tiryns[citation needed]. A large, dry pomegranate was found in the tomb of Djehuty, the butler of Queen Hatshepsut; Mesopotamian cuneiform records mention pomegranates from the mid-Third millennium BC onwards. It is also extensively grown in South China and in Southeast Asia, whether originally spread along the route of the Silk Road or brought by sea traders.
The ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period. Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Latin America, but in the English colonies it was less at home: "Don't use the pomegranate inhospitably, a stranger that has come so far to pay his respects to thee," the English Quaker Peter Collinson wrote to the botanizing John Bartram in Philadelphia, 1762. "Plant it against the side of thy house, nail it close to the wall. In this manner it thrives wonderfully with us, and flowers beautifully, and bears fruit this hot year. I have twenty-four on one tree... Doctor Fothergill says, of all trees this is most salutiferous to mankind." The pomegranate had been introduced as an exotic to England the previous century, by John Tradescant the elder, but the disappointment that it did not set fruit there led to its repeated introduction to the American colonies, even New England. It succeeded in the South: Bartram received a barrel of pomegranates and oranges from a correspondent in Charleston, South Carolina, 1764. Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at Monticello in 1771: he had them from George Wythe of Williamsburg.
Insect pests of the pomegranate include the pomegranate butterfly Virachola isocrates and the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus.
Culinary use
After opening the pomegranate by scoring it with a knife and breaking it open, the arils (seed casings) are separated from the peel and internal white pulp membranes. Separating the red arils is simplified by performing this task in a bowl of water, wherein arils sink and pulp floats. It is also possible to freeze the whole fruit in the freezer, making the red arils easy to separate from the white pulp membranes. The entire seed is consumed raw, though the watery, tasty aril is the desired part. The taste differs depending on subspecies of pomegranate and its ripeness. The pomegranate juice can be very sweet or sour, but most fruits are moderate in taste, with sour notes from the acidic tannins contained in the aril juice.
Having begun wide distribution in the United States and Canada in 2002, pomegranate juice has long been a popular drink in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine, India.
Grenadine syrup is thickened and sweetened pomegranate juice used in cocktail mixing. Before tomato arrived in the Middle East, grenadine was widely used in many Iranian foods and is still found in traditional recipes such as fesenjan, a thick sauce made from pomegranate juice and ground walnuts, usually spooned over duck or other poultry and rice, and in ash-e anar (pomegranate soup).
Wild pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice known as anardana (which literally means pomegranate (anar) seeds (dana) in Persian), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine but also as a replacement for pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result of this, the dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian Sub-continent markets. The seeds are separated from the flesh, dried for 10–15 days and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry production. Seeds may also be ground in order to avoid becoming stuck in teeth when eating dishes containing them. Seeds of the wild pomegranate daru from the Himalayas are regarded as quality sources for this spice.
In the Caucasus, pomegranate is used mainly as juice. In Azerbaijan a sauce from pomegranate juice (narsharab) is usually served with fish or tika kabab. In Turkey, pomegranate sauce, (Turkish: nar ekşisi) is used as a salad dressing, to marinate meat, or simply to drink straight. Pomegranate seeds are also used in salads and sometimes as garnish for desserts such as güllaç. Pomegranate syrup or molasses is used in muhammara, a roasted red pepper, walnut, and garlic spread popular in Syria and Turkey. Pomegranate wine is produced in Israel and Armenia.
In Greece, pomegranate (Greek: ρόδι, rodi) is used in many recipes, including kollivozoumi, a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegranates and raisins, legume salad with wheat and pomegranate, traditional Middle Eastern lamb kebabs with pomegranate glaze, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado-pomegranate dip. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur and popular fruit confectionery used as ice cream topping or mixed with yogurt or spread as jam on toast. In Cyprus as well as in Greece and among the Greek Orthodox Diaspora , ρόδι is used to make kolliva, a mixture of wheat, pomegranate seeds, sugar, almonds and other seeds served at memorial services.
from wikipedia
About 760 different local varieties of pomegranate have been recognized in Iran. These varieties have been collected in Agricultural Research Institute, Yazd, Iran. The most famous varieties are Soveh, Sioh, Rabob, Aghaei, Ardestony, Shisheh cap, Shirin Shahvor, Bajestony, Malas e Daneh Siah, Touq Gardan, Khazar, Shecar e Ashraf (Behshahr), Alak, Arous, Farouq, Rahab, Khafar e Shiraz, Ferdous e Khorasan, Bi daneh Sangan.
Foliage and fruit
Pomegranate flowers and leaves
The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with four to five petals (often more on cultivated plants). Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone. The edible fruit is a berry and is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin and around 600 seeds. The seeds and surrounding pulp, ranging in color from white to deep red, are called arils. There are some cultivars which have been introduced that have a range of pulp colors such as purple.
Punica granatum nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly used as Bonsai trees and as a patio plant. The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate (Punica protopunica), which is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. Pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They are tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −10°C (14°F).[citation needed]
Etymology
The name "pomegranate" derives from Latin pomum ("apple") and granatus ("seeded"). This has influenced the common name for pomegranate in many languages (e.g., German Granatapfel, seeded apple). In early English, the Pomegranate was known as "apple of Grenada" -- a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons. This was probably a folk etymology, confusing Latin granatus with the Spanish city of Granada. The genus name Punica is named for the Phoenicians, who were active in broadening its cultivation, partly for religious reasons. In classical Latin, where "malum" was broadly applied to many apple-like fruits, the pomegranate's name was malum punicum or malum granatum, the latter giving rise to the Italian name melograno, or less commonly melagrana.
A widespread root for "pomegranate" comes from the Ancient Egyptian rmn, from which derive the Hebrew rimmôn, and Arabic rummân. This root was given by Arabs to other languages, including Portuguese (romã), Kabyle rrumman and Maltese "rummien". The pomegranate ('rimmôn') is mentioned in the Bible as one of the seven fruits/plants that Israel was blessed with, and in Hebrew, 'rimmôn' is also the name of the weapon now called the grenade. According to Webster's New Spanish-English Dictionary, "granada," the Spanish word for "pomegranate," could also mean "grenade." According to the OED, the word "grenade" originated about 1532 from the French name for the pomegranate, la grenade. La grenade also gives us the word grenadine, the name of a kind of fruit syrup, originally made from pomegranates, which is widely used as a cordial and in cocktails.
Origin, cultivation and uses
The pomegranate is native to the region of Persia and has been cultivated in Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Mediterranean region for several millennia.
In Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, there are wild pomegranate groves outside of ancient abandoned settlements. The cultivation of the pomegranate has a long history in Transcaucasia where decayed remains of pomegranates dating back to 1000 BC have been found. The Kur-Araz lowland is the largest area in this region where pomegranate is cultivated. Carbonized exocarp of the fruit has been identified in Early Bronze Age levels of Jericho, as well as Late Bronze Age levels of Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus and Tiryns[citation needed]. A large, dry pomegranate was found in the tomb of Djehuty, the butler of Queen Hatshepsut; Mesopotamian cuneiform records mention pomegranates from the mid-Third millennium BC onwards. It is also extensively grown in South China and in Southeast Asia, whether originally spread along the route of the Silk Road or brought by sea traders.
The ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period. Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Latin America, but in the English colonies it was less at home: "Don't use the pomegranate inhospitably, a stranger that has come so far to pay his respects to thee," the English Quaker Peter Collinson wrote to the botanizing John Bartram in Philadelphia, 1762. "Plant it against the side of thy house, nail it close to the wall. In this manner it thrives wonderfully with us, and flowers beautifully, and bears fruit this hot year. I have twenty-four on one tree... Doctor Fothergill says, of all trees this is most salutiferous to mankind." The pomegranate had been introduced as an exotic to England the previous century, by John Tradescant the elder, but the disappointment that it did not set fruit there led to its repeated introduction to the American colonies, even New England. It succeeded in the South: Bartram received a barrel of pomegranates and oranges from a correspondent in Charleston, South Carolina, 1764. Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at Monticello in 1771: he had them from George Wythe of Williamsburg.
Insect pests of the pomegranate include the pomegranate butterfly Virachola isocrates and the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus.
Culinary use
After opening the pomegranate by scoring it with a knife and breaking it open, the arils (seed casings) are separated from the peel and internal white pulp membranes. Separating the red arils is simplified by performing this task in a bowl of water, wherein arils sink and pulp floats. It is also possible to freeze the whole fruit in the freezer, making the red arils easy to separate from the white pulp membranes. The entire seed is consumed raw, though the watery, tasty aril is the desired part. The taste differs depending on subspecies of pomegranate and its ripeness. The pomegranate juice can be very sweet or sour, but most fruits are moderate in taste, with sour notes from the acidic tannins contained in the aril juice.
Having begun wide distribution in the United States and Canada in 2002, pomegranate juice has long been a popular drink in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine, India.
Grenadine syrup is thickened and sweetened pomegranate juice used in cocktail mixing. Before tomato arrived in the Middle East, grenadine was widely used in many Iranian foods and is still found in traditional recipes such as fesenjan, a thick sauce made from pomegranate juice and ground walnuts, usually spooned over duck or other poultry and rice, and in ash-e anar (pomegranate soup).
Wild pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice known as anardana (which literally means pomegranate (anar) seeds (dana) in Persian), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine but also as a replacement for pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. As a result of this, the dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian Sub-continent markets. The seeds are separated from the flesh, dried for 10–15 days and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry production. Seeds may also be ground in order to avoid becoming stuck in teeth when eating dishes containing them. Seeds of the wild pomegranate daru from the Himalayas are regarded as quality sources for this spice.
In the Caucasus, pomegranate is used mainly as juice. In Azerbaijan a sauce from pomegranate juice (narsharab) is usually served with fish or tika kabab. In Turkey, pomegranate sauce, (Turkish: nar ekşisi) is used as a salad dressing, to marinate meat, or simply to drink straight. Pomegranate seeds are also used in salads and sometimes as garnish for desserts such as güllaç. Pomegranate syrup or molasses is used in muhammara, a roasted red pepper, walnut, and garlic spread popular in Syria and Turkey. Pomegranate wine is produced in Israel and Armenia.
In Greece, pomegranate (Greek: ρόδι, rodi) is used in many recipes, including kollivozoumi, a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegranates and raisins, legume salad with wheat and pomegranate, traditional Middle Eastern lamb kebabs with pomegranate glaze, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado-pomegranate dip. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur and popular fruit confectionery used as ice cream topping or mixed with yogurt or spread as jam on toast. In Cyprus as well as in Greece and among the Greek Orthodox Diaspora , ρόδι is used to make kolliva, a mixture of wheat, pomegranate seeds, sugar, almonds and other seeds served at memorial services.
from wikipedia
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