Although widely cultivated throughout the U.S, pomegranate is native to the Middle East and was later introduced in the Mediterranean, according to Robert Newman in the book "Pomegranate: The Most Medicinal Fruit." The flesh surrounding the seeds is the consumed part of the fruit and can be cumbersome to eat. Pomegranate juice has only one ingredient.
Pomegranate
The only ingredient in pomegranate juice is the fruit itself. Acquiring the liquid is similar to juicing other fruits such as limes, lemons and citrus, according to Daniel Boulud in his book "Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud Cookbook." You can simply roll the pomegranate back and forth to prepare the juices, then cut it open and squeeze. The more efficient method, however, is to take the seeds and place them in a food processor and grind them down until they are completely broken apart. You can then simply strain the mixture through cheesecloth and obtain a more substantial juice, Boulud says.
Health Benefits
Pomegranate has myriad health properties, most notably anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, according to David Servan-Schreiber in the book "Anticancer: A New Way of Life." Regularly consuming pomegranate juice, at least one glass per day, may slow the spread of prostate cancer by 67 percent, the author notes. Other cancers that may benefit from pomegranate juice include breast and lung cancer. A University of California Riverside December 2010 study identified the ingredients hydrobenzoic acids, phenylpropanoids, conjugated fatty acids and flavones in pomegranate juice that may inhibit cell adhesion and proliferation of prostate cancer. The study also found that pomegranate juice delays a protein that causes the cancer to spread to the bone marrow. Pomegranates may also help lower blood pressure, increase good cholesterol and lower bad, prevent arterial plaque buildup and inhibit cartilage degradation, Servan-Schreiber says. Although further research is warranted, the benefits are promising.
Nutritional Facts
The juice from a 4-inch-diameter pomegranate contains 234 calories, with 28 calories from polyunsaturated and unsaturated fat, Hassan Majad says in his book "Pomegranate." It does not contain saturated fat, and is naturally cholesterol free, with a mere 8 mg of sodium. The total carbohydrate amount is 53 g, with 11 g of dietary fiber and 39 g of sugar. because of the high sugar content, diabetics and sugar-sensitive people should limit consumption. A single pomegranate of this size yields 5 g of protein.
Commercial Pomegranate Juice
Commercial pomegranate juice is usually not fresh-squeezed but is from concentrate, to ensure a longer shelf life. Since many vitamins and nutrients can break down during the concentration process, it is the most effective when fresh, according to Myrna and Mark Goldstein in their book "Healthy Foods: Fact Versus Fiction." Of course, both raw pomegranates and commercial pomegranate juice are expensive, so buy one fruit at a time to prevent waste.
References
- "Pomegranate: The Most Medicinal Fruit; Robert Newman; 2007
- "Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud Cookbook"; Daniel Boulud; 2009
- "Anticancer: A New Way of Life"; David Servan-Schreiber; 2009
- "Pomegranate"; Hassan Amjad; 2005
- "Healthy Foods: Fact Versus Fiction"; Myrna and Mark Goldstein; 2010
- ScienceDaily: Pomegranate Juice Components Could Stop Cancer from Spreading, Research Suggests
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