What Do You Know About POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum)

POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum)

The pomegranate is a very delicious and semi-seedy fruit. It has refreshing and soothing qualities and is easier to digest than any other fruit. The fruit has been held in high esteem from time immemorial as a food and a medicine. The pomegranate is a six-sided fruit of fairly large with tough leathery skin. It is divided into several cells containing numerous angular seeds, these seeds are surrounded by a succulent coating of pink or crimson color with a delicious sub-acid flavor.

Nutritional values

Food value                                                               mineral and Vitamin

Moisture                   78.0%                                    calcium                                  10mg

Protein                      1.6%                                      phosphorus                         70mg

Fat                              0.1%                                      iron                                        0.3mg

Mineral                     0.7%                                      vitamin C                              16mg

Carbohydrate          14.5%                                    Small amount of vitamin B complex present

Health Benefits

The pomegranate has been regarded as a food medicine of great importance. Pomegranate helps in the recovery of the following health problems;

Ø Digestive disorder: Pomegranate juice of a great value in digestive disorder. It has an appetizer, a digestive food item and is useful for patient suffering from colitis and mucus. It binds the stools and tones of the intestines. A table spoon of the juice mix with equal quantity of honeys can be given with beneficial result in bilious vomiting.

Ø Diarrhea and dysentery: The chief value of the pomegranate is its astringent properties which cause cells to shrink and it’s a valuable food medicine for diarrhea and dysentery. If patient pass blood with stools, this will stop by the use of fresh pomegranate juice. The flower buds are also astringent and useful in chronic diarrhea and dysentery, especially in children.

Ø Intestinal worms: The bark, both of the roots and the stem of pomegranate tree, is well known for its anthelmintic properties of destroying parasitic worms. The root-bark is however preferred as it contains greater quantity of the alkaloid punicine than the stem-bark. The alkaloid is highly toxic to tapeworm.

Ø Teeth and gum disorder: Powder of the dry rind mixed with pepper and common salt is applied as a very good dentifrice (tooth paste or powder).its regular application strengthens the gum, stops bleeding, prevents pyorrhea, clean the teeth and preserve them for a long time.

Ø Kidney and bladder stones: The seeds of sour and sweet   pomegranate are useful as a medicine. A tablespoonful of seeds, ground into fine paste can be given along with a cupful of horse-grain soup to dissolve gravel in kidney and bladder.     

Uses of pomegranate

·        Fresh fruit make fantastic juice.

·        Pomegranate juice can be used in soups, jellies, sorbets, sauces as well as to flavors cakes, baked apple.

·        It is used in preparation of syrup, ice-cream and color.

·        It is used as a table fruit.

How to prepare pomegranate

Using a sharp knife, carefully slice about half an inch from the top of the pomegranate fruit. Gently remove the lid to expose the edible seeds inside. After which slice down through of the white membrane inside the fruit, then finally pry the sections apart, turn the inside out and pop the seeds out into a bowl. Then the pomegranate is ready to be served.

Pomegranate can be added to the following food by;

·         Adding them to salad

·         Sprinkling them on ice-cream

·         Adding them to oatmeal or cereal

·         Baking them into cakes, bread and pastries.