Pomegranate

The pomegranate (punica granatum) is an ancient fruit. Originally native to Iran, Baluchistan and Afghanistan it now grows throughout the tropics and subtropics. Kandahar is famous for its delicious pomegranates (remember Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner). 

The seeds have a bitter-sweet taste. The white pulp is very bitter. In the Indian kitchen pomegranate seeds and pulp are dried into Anardana. This has a sour smell and a dry taste and is used in chutneys, curries and for flavouring legumes like chickpeas.

Pomegranate molasses is a syrup (that is: sugar) made from pomegranate seeds. Personally I would avoid using it. Pomegranate juice is delicious but easy to overindulge. Sticking to the whole food is - as always - the healthier choice.

Nutrition

Pomegranate seeds contains dietary fibre as well as vitamins B, C and K.

Potential health benefits

The seeds are supposed to be soothing for the stomach. The rind and skin is dried in the sun and in powdered form it is mixed with honey and used to cure diarrhoea. Research and clinical studies suggest that pomegranate have anti-oxidative effects and may be able to reduce certain heart disease risk factors. Another study suggests that pomegranate can help reducing systolic blood pressure (read more).

Tip: How to remove the seeds from a pomegranate

Take out a bowl and a medium sized wooden spoon (I know - just trust me). Cut the pomegranate in two horizontally. Take one half in your hand so the cut side faces your palm and hold it over the bowl. Take the wooden spoon and knock on the skin. Continue to knock with increasing power until all the seeds have falling into the bowl. Do the same with the other half and then remove the white pulp bits. Very therapeutic!

If you're less inclined to violence you can also fill the bowl with water and then separate the seeds from the white pulp in the water. The seeds will sink and the white pulp float.