The Pomegranate

Pomegranates are a delicious and healthy fruit that you can find from September until January.   

What have you heard about the pomegranate?  Is the word on the street that they are healthy?  If so, that’s true! 

To begin, one pomegranate carries Vitamin C to protect your cells and antioxidants that boost your immune system. 

If that’s not enough, you’ll discover fiber, manganese to help form bone and joint tissues and folate and thiamine to help with cell development and function.  

Furthermore, even though they are high in sugar, if you are diabetic you can enjoy them too.  You can thank the antioxidants that attach to the sugar flowing through your veins for that.

Pomegranates are interesting to look at and once you open them up there are tons of seeds, called arils.

Here are a few tips on how to buy, open and store pomegranates.

You should look for a pomegranate that is heavy.  Avoid any that are bruised, cut or slashed.

In order to open a pomegranate you cut off the top then score along the of the fruit where you see the “ribs”.  Next, pry the sections open with your hands.  You’ll see all the seeds and you can use your thumbs to pop them out into a bowl. 

To store a pomegranate, you should be able to keep the seeds refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 weeks.  You can also freeze them for up to a year.

Pomegranate seeds can be eaten as they are or added to salads.  Likewise you can enjoy them in a smoothie or drink.  They are very versatile.

Private Home Health Care loves to eat pomegranate seeds and we also like to add them to our salads.  Additionally, they are good in smoothies and other drinks.

#NationalPomegranateMonth