Wonderful, Parfianka and Dente di Cavallo are just some of the cultivar most appreciated pomegranate varieties, whose fruit – the pomegranate – fully qualifies as a superfood. Insights and advice to follow.
Pomegranate, history and legends
Autumn fruit par excellence, the pomegranate derives from Punica Granatum, a small tree native to the area from Iran to the Himalayas. Its cultivation later spread throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, as well as Southeast Asia, Mexico, and the USA.
The pomegranate – from Latin malum granatum (apple 'seeded', that is 'with seeds') – has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments including parasitic and microbial infections, diarrhea, ulcers, mouth sores, hemorrhages, respiratory diseases. Thanks to these virtues, and its unique beauty, the fruit has also nourished mystic-religious narratives.
The Bible describes the pomegranate as one of the trees that allowed the people of Israel to recognize the promised land. According to one of the many legends, its berries were born from the blood that fell from the forehead of Jesus Christ pierced by the crown of thorns.
Pomegranate, the extraordinary health benefits
The pomegranate – with its fleshy berries of intense red color, which cover small seeds with a sweet and slightly sour aftertaste, called arils – it is a precious ally for health.
Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of this fruit as an antioxidant, antidiabetic, and hypolipidemic (i.e., able to reduce plasma levels of LDL cholesterol). The pomegranate lends itself to preventive applications in a variety of diseases, also thanks to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumor activities. (1)
Health benefits are mainly attributed to the wide range of phytocomplexes characterizing the pomegranate. Polyphenols first of all, including hydrolyzable ellagitannins, anthocyanins, and others. The synergistic action of the constituents, moreover, appears superior to that of the substances considered individually.
Vitamins – from groups B, A, C, E and K – and minerals (iron and potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and calcium) complete the health treasure, making pomegranate a superfood.
Pomegranate, fruits and extracts. How to choose
When choosing pomegranates it is recommended to check that:
– the fruits have a slightly squared shape (2) and an intense, bright color, free of dark spots. Opacity of the surface instead indicates an advanced degree of ripeness,
– the surface of the fruit does not present an excessively hard shell nor cuts, mold, and soft parts, (3)
– the specific weight of the fruit is relatively substantial. (4)
The fruits can be consumed as is, when deciding to dedicate a little time to oneself, distracting the hands from the smartphone. Or as extract, juice or juice, which also allow to benefit from the phenols and tannins the peel is rich in.
Extracts, juices and nectars must however be prepared instantly, for immediate consumption. Alternatively, these beverages must be processed at low temperatures, without subsequent pasteurization. In order to preserve the nutritional and health qualities of the superfood which are linked, precisely, to its freshness.
Dario Dongo and Renzo Pierpaolo Turco
Notes
(1) Some notable scientific studies are cited, among more than 700 available:
– ‘Preventive and Prophylactic Mechanisms of Action of Pomegranate Bioactive Constituents', http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/789764
– ‘Pomegranate and its Many Functional Components as Related to Human Health: A Review’, doi 10.1111/j.1541-4337.2010.00131.x
– ‘Pomegranate juice flavonoids inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation and cardiovascular diseases: studies in atherosclerotic mice and in humans’, PubMed ID 12224378
– ‘Cholesterol-lowering effect of concentrated pomegranate juice consumption in type II diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia’, doi 10.1024/0300-9831.76.3.147
– ‘Long-Term Dietary Supplementation of Pomegranates, Figs and Dates Alleviate Neuroinflammation in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease’, doi 10.1371/journal.pone.0120964, up https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4373715/
– ‘Two UGT84 family glycosyltransferases catalyze a critical reaction of hydrolyzable tannin biosynthesis in pomegranate (Punica granatum)’, Tian, L., Hu, Y. & Chen, X. Y. Mar 6 2017, on Molecular Plant. 10, 3, p. 533-536 4 p,
– ‘Potential effects of pomegranate polyphenols in cancer prevention and therapy', doi 10.1155/2015/938475
– ‘The impact of supplementation with pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) juice on selected antioxidant parameters and markers of iron metabolism in rowers', https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0241-z
(2) The square shape derives from the richness in juice of the seeds, which therefore expand on multiple radii towards the walls of the fruit
(3) A very hard shell is an indication of an unripe fruit. Conversely, overly ripe fruit shows cuts, mold, dark or soft parts
(4) Fruits that contain a larger number of seeds (up to 600), at the same volume, are heavier because they are richer in juice
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
Doctor in Food Science and Technology, specialized in Safety and Quality Management in Agri-food chains, Secretary of the disciplinary board of the Order of Food Technologists of Sicily and Sardinia, Food blogger.
