10 Things to do with a Pomegranate — a guide to nature’s most beautiful, and most confounding, fruit
It’s the pomegranate season, and you’ve probably already spotted them in your supermarket, I know I have. But just a few short years ago I wouldn’t have touched them with a ten-foot pole. I didn’t have a clue how to use them, much less how to open one up. And even if I got one open, what’s the deal with the seeds…how do you get them out,…and do you spit the pits? Swallow them? Pomegranates can cause a lot of confusion.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, first, you need to know how to choose one from that daunting pile in the produce section.
There are a few basic rules for picking the right pomegranate
Since poms don’t continue to ripen after being picked, what you see is what you get, so it’s important to choose wisely.
Look for large fruit, because large fruit will have more pulp (arils)
Don’t just look, pick them up, a fresh juicy pomegranate will feel heavy for its size
Find one with a bright color, because that indicates good quality
And finally, a smooth shiny skin tells you it’s fresh
Most pomegranates will have deep ruby red arils or seeds, but some are pale pink, or even white.
There isn’t any way to tell this from the outside, so it will be a surprise when you open it up. No need to worry, the paler colors taste just as good, and if anything, they’re a little sweeter.
How to remove the seeds from a pomegranate
Ok, so you’ve chosen your pomegranate, now what? You need to get those little seeds out! There are several ways to do it but one is by far the best:
Cut your pomegranate in half, and if it is very big, you can even separate it into quarters.
Over a bowl in your sink, hold the pomegranate, skin side up, in one hand, and whack it with a wooden spoon with your other hand. The seeds will miraculously fall into the bowl.
You can keep the seeds in an airtight container for several days in the refrigerator. Use them for snacking, or topping yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, or hummus!
Are pomegranates healthy?
Pomegranates are super healthy and fall under the superfood category
they’re loaded with antioxidants called punicalagin, which protect cells from damage by free radicals
The seeds are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Pomegranate is anti-inflammatory
They may help fight prostate and breast cancers
They may help lower blood pressure, and help arthritis sufferers
Pomegranates originated in the Middle East
But they’ve quickly spread all around the world. They grow in California, and also in Arizona. In our last house, we had the luxury of a neighbor’s tree that hung way over into our driveway. We had pomegranates right up until Christmas. During those years I came to know and love this unusual fruit.
Pomegranate season
The season in America goes from September through November, but pomegranates are hardy and store well, so you’ll find them in stores way past November.
Now, with imports from Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Greece, and Mexico, you can find pomegranates in many stores year-round.
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