Pomegranates

Looking for a sweet, tasty snack that’s also healthy? Look no further than the pomegranate. This fruit is one of the healthier ones out there, boasting a full payload of vitamins and other nutrients. Pomegranates have high levels of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium while remaining low in calories. The juice of this fruit is packed with three types of antioxidants: tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid. These antioxidants are all instrumental in preventing cancers and heart disease.

Many people are put off by the complexity of eating a pomegranate; granted, it’s a pretty demanding fruit to eat, as far as those things go. However, once you know how to go about preparing a pomegranate, it’s a fairly easy process.

Start by buying plump pomegranates that feel heavy for their size. This is an indication of ripeness, but be wary of bruised or scratched fruits. When ripe, pomegranates bruise very easily. Once you have a suitable fruit, take a knife and score the peel from stem to end. You can do this once or several times, making sections. Next, cut off the top of the fruit, making sure to cut away enough that you can see the bright red seeds inside.

From here, you want to pull apart the pomegranate into halves or sections. Try to follow the natural separations in the fruit, as it will pull apart easiest there. For easier handling, break these halves or thirds into smaller sections. Remove any remaining membrane covering the seeds, and then—over a bowl—turn out the sections of the fruit, dumping the seeds. To do this, peel and pull back the edges of the fruit and gently rub or pop the seeds out of the pith. Ripe pomegranate seeds will generally pop out pretty easily. A ripe pomegranate will yield about a cup of seeds, and from here, they’re ready to eat.

Whether it’s drinking pomegranate juice or eating the seeds of the fruit, any way you consume pomegranates will provide an abundance of healthy nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants; so, enjoy them with the knowledge that you’re eating or drinking some healthy, tasty stuff!

Written by:
Just Paleo