While researching this post, I learned that pomegranates have a very long history and have often appeared in art, literature and mythology, writes Dr Susan Aldridge, HS guest blogger and freelance writer and editor based in London, with an interest in medicine, health, science and food/nutrition.
I came across the painting Prosperine, painted by the pre-Raphaelite Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1874. I’d seen the painting before but had forgotten that the Roman goddess is holding a pomegranate. According to myth, she was kidnapped by Pluto, the god of the underworld and could only return to earth if she had not consumed any underworld food! Unfortunately, she had eaten six seeds from the pomegranate and was condemned to spend six months of the year in Hades. Thus, the pomegranate in the Rossetti’s painting is a symbol of captivity.
This is a happy coincidence, for Rossetti’s Prosperine is in Tate Britain and we’re off there this afternoon, as part of NYE outing to see the Edward Burne-Jones (another pre-Raphaelite) exhibition. So I’ll take another look at that famous pomegranate.
The pomegranate fruit should be a symbol of health, rather than captivity, because the hundreds of tiny seeds (known of arils) that it contains are packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals called punicalagins. They also contain a conjugated linolenic acid (CLAs) called punicic acid. Research on cells, lab animals and humans suggest that the punicalagins may help prevent or manage a whole range of health problems, including cancer, arthritis, joint pain heart disease, high blood pressure, while CLAs have been shown to help with obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.
You can buy a whole pomegranate for about a pound at the greengrocer – much cheaper than the pre-packaged seeds. Releasing the seeds can be messy though – I scored the fruit around the centre and twisted it into two halves and then just break the seeds out from the clumps inside into a bowl, and then picked out the bits of pith. Then there’s 100% pomegranate juice which is more expensive than other fruit juices, but is great to add to plain water with a slice of lemon as a healthy hydrating drink or to top up a home-made juice.
Winter pomegranate juice
Serves one
This combines pomegranate with cranberries, another winter fruit. Two pomegranates provide about 100ml of juice. The spinach adds a touch of green, without detracting from the delicious taste of this juice.
One box of cranberries
Two pomegranates, seeded
8 oranges, peeled
100g spinach
One inch piece of root ginger, peeled
Juice all ingredients and drink immediately.
Super pomegranate salad
Baby kale leaves
Olives
Cubed feta
Seeds
Walnuts
Avocado
Pomegranate seeds
Pomegranate fruit salad
Four to six oranges/satsumas/clementines, peeled and segmented
One mango, peeled and cubed
50g pomegranate seeds
Mint leaves, chopped, to decorate
Cinammon, to sprinkle
Mix the oranges/citrus fruit with the mango. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds, decorate with the mint leaves and finish with a sprinkle of cinammon.
Next time. P is for Peanut Butter