Many people are intimidated by pomegranates, especially with all those seeds and all that skin. However, they are one of the absolute healthiest foods you can incorporate into diet.
The pomegranate is an ancient fruit originating in the Middle East, and more recently, it has emerged as a super-food in Western diets. Let’s take a closer look at this delicious and healthy fruit and what you can do with it in the kitchen.
Vitamins and Minerals in Pomegranate
Pomegranates have many immune-boosting properties that support longevity. They’re also packed with vitamins and minerals that your body needs to thrive.
Here’s what your body gets when you eat a pomegranate:
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Folic acid
- Phosphorous
- Calcium
- Amino acids
- Antioxidants
- Protein
- Fiber
- Omega-3 fatty acids
The Various Forms of Pomegranate
Although the most recognizable form of pomegranate is a fresh, round fruit, it actually comes in several other forms too. To eat the fresh fruit, cut the crown of the pomegranate, remove some of the pith, score the skin, and soak the fruit to separate the seeds, skin, and membranes.
But not only does the fleshy fruit have health benefits, the pomegranate’s seeds and skin do too! In fact, every part of this fruit is beneficial to your health, from the seeds and their juice sacs, to the peel and the oil contained in the skin.
To reap the benefits of all parts of the pomegranate, you can consume 100% pure pomegranate powder and pomegranate capsules. Whole pomegranates are delivered to Seagate’s plant on the day they are harvested, then washed and chopped to expose the seeds and retain the juice. We put all parts of the pomegranates into our low-temperature freeze dryer and grind them into a fine powder without ever using any chemicals, fillers, or solvents.
The result, these potent little capsules, conveniently takes all the work out of eating pomegranates and enjoying their benefits!
How to Use Pomegranate in Recipes
Pomegranates have a sweet and tangy flavor that’s easy to mix with many other foods. You can easily add fresh pomegranate slices to yogurt, energy bars, and desserts. Pomegranate powder can be added to smoothies, dips, juices, and dressings to add a tasty and healthy punch.
Here are a couple of our favorite recipes to inspire you to start using pomegranate in your daily meals.
Spinach Pomegranate Salad with Pears and Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons roasted hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces spinach leaves
- 3/4 cup finely shredded radicchio (from 1 head)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
- 1 large firm-ripe Bartlett pear
Directions
- In a small saucepan, boil pomegranate juice until reduced to 1/4 cup, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool. Whisk in lemon juice, oil, salt, thyme, and pepper.
- In a salad bowl, gently mix spinach, radicchio, pomegranate seeds, and hazelnuts with dressing. Divide among 6 plates.
- Quarter pear and core. Thinly slice crosswise, then stack slices and cut in matchsticks. Arrange pear on salads.
Pomegranate Ginger Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled
Directions
- In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in crystallized ginger, lemon peel, and pomegranate arils. Make a well in the center.
- In a measuring cup, blend milk, egg, and butter. Pour all the liquid into the well. Stir just until the batter is moistened; it will be lumpy. Spoon batter into 12 (2 ½ inch wide) or 24 (1 ¾ inch wide) buttered muffin cups, filling each almost to the rim. Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons sugar.
- Bake in a 425°F oven until lightly browned (about 16 minutes for large muffins, 13 minutes for small). Remove the muffins from the pan at a once. Serve hot, or set on a rack and serve warm or cool.