Pomegranate is one of the most loved fruit due to its taste and appearance. Pomegranate fruits tastes sweet and has tart flavor. Inside fruit is ruby red to dark red in color and will have multiple seeds. Color is due to polyphenol compounds. Fruits are also packed with rich nutrients and antioxidants punicalagins. Seeds of pomegranate are also edible and contain insoluble fiber.

Eating pomegranate promotes heart health, reduces blood pressure, and reduces cancer risks. Hence it is considered as superfood that promotes overall health. Arils inside the fruit contains water. The other important nutrients in this delicious fruits are:  Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium. In fact, pomegranate is one of the rich sources for potassium.

Benefits of pomegranate:

Consuming pomegranate on daily basis improves bowel movement, reduces blood pressure and increases resistance of body to fight diseases.

Pomegranate is useful for:

1. Protecting body from free radicals
2. Boosts immunity
3. Reduces stress level
4. Prevents atherosclerosis
5. Reduces body inflammation
6. Good for heart condition
7. Reduces high blood pressure
8. Prevents growth of tumors
9. In men prevents male dysfunction
10. Helps in improving fertility
11. Helps to reduce arthritis symptoms
12. Reduces intestinal worm infestation
13. Improves memory
14. Good for bowel movement and digestion
15. Seed oil is useful during menopause- reduces hot flash

How to use pomegranate?

Pomegranate fruits can be made into juice, can be added in salad, yogurt, cereals and smoothies. Fruit can be also used for garnishing purposes. One can add pomegranate in raita, vegetable rice and prepare molasses. Pomegranate salsa is delicious dip for chips. Seed oil and fruit skin (dry and raw)  also have multiple application.

1. During Indigestion – To 10 pomegranate juice add  1 gm. black- salt or and, fried cumin powder with honey. Mix and consume half an hour before taking meal.
2. For skin: Dry pomegranate peel powder can be mixed with turmeric, curd and honey. Apply on skin to improve skin texture.
3. For bad breath: Gargling using dry fruit peel powder 3 to 4 times a day is helpful
4. For pimples: Seed paste in water or curd can be applied twice a day and wash using warm water.
5. Dysentery: To reduce dysentery, drinking 10 ml fruit peel decoction three times a day is helpful.
6. For piles problem: Drinking fruit juice with added sugar or jaggery is known to reduces the pile symptoms.
7. Blood thinning: Pomegranate can thin the blood and people who have trouble with thickened blood can consume pomegranate to smooth blood flow. The seeds prevents blood platelets from coagulating and thus prevent clots.

Sometimes pomegranate can interfere with medications. People who take prescription medicine must consult doctor before considering eating pomegranate with medicines.

Image credit: Image by Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay & Image by Michael Tavrionov from Pixabay  (Free for commercial use)