While pomegranates may not be the first fruit to come to mind when planning snacks and meals, they are packed with nutrients, making them a valuable addition to a well-balanced diet. Pomegranates' high vitamin K content makes them an appropriate substitute for green leafy vegetables that are rich sources of vitamin K. Their unique flavor makes them a sweet, but healthy treat.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates originated in Asia, although they are now cultivated throughout the world in warm climates such as the Mediterranean, Middle East and California. Pomegranates are slightly larger than oranges, and come in varying shades of red. The edible part of pomegranates is the aril, or the seed of the pomegranate surrounded by a small sac of juice. Each pomegranate has 840 arils, which is where the nutrients are concentrated. They taste sweet and tart, and can yield around 1/2 cup of juice.
Vitamin K
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin K is an important vitamin for your body, primarily because it activates several proteins essential for your blood's coagulation, or clotting. Your body also uses small amounts of vitamin K to help form several proteins that you need to help your bones mineralize correctly. Finally, vitamin K is one of the only vitamins that your body actually produces. Bacteria in your intestines make about half of the vitamin K you need daily, while you get the other half from dietary sources such as green leafy vegetables.
Pomegranates and Vitamin K
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database, an average pomegranate contains 46.2 micrograms of vitamin K. This is about half of the adequate intake for adult women, who should get around 90 micrograms of vitamin K from their diet every day. Adult males should get 120 micrograms daily, which means one pomegranate could provide around one-third of their intake. Pomegranate juice is not as rich in vitamin K, with 1 cup of pomegranate juice only containing about 25.9 micrograms of the vitamin.
Other Nutrients
Pomegranates are not just rich in vitamin K, but they are also good sources of other vitamins and minerals. One pomegranate contains high amounts of phosphorus and potassium, with 102 mg and 666 mg respectively. They also contain average amounts of calcium and magnesium, with traces of iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Pomegranates are also high in folate and choline, with one pomegranate containing 107 micrograms of folate and 21 mg of choline. In addition, pomegranates contain moderate amounts of vitamin C and E, with traces of the B vitamin family.
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