Pomegranate Power: 5 Things You Need to Know

A glass of pomegranate juice contains more antioxidants than red wine, green tea, blueberries, or cranberries. It’s just that good for you and your little ones.

Since Nigella Lawson showed us how to capture those jewel-toned-ruby-coloured seeds by slicing one pomegranate in half and battering the backside with a wooden spoon, these translucent red babies have never been easier to unpack. I never rush opening a pomegranate though. It’s part of the pleasure of eating them. My son and I slowly remove the seeds one by one, and enjoy the texture of that delicate, waffle white barrier that protects the seeds from each other within.

If you live on the West Coast of Canada, you’ll notice that pomegranates are abundant at the grocery store now, but are not grown locally. You’ll have to extend your belief that California is as far as your local, fresh borders can go. Look for pomegranates that are heavy…that’s a sign of its freshness and juiciness.

The nutrition profile of pomegranates shows us that they are:

1. the most powerful anti-oxidant of all fruits
2. a potent anti-cancer and immune supporting effects
3. inhibitors of abnormal platelet aggregation that could cause heart attacks, strokes and embolic disease
4. lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, and other cardiac risk factors
5. beneficial in relieving or protecting against depression and osteoporosis

Take some time to enjoy eating pomegranates this autumn.