Pomegranate ….The Most Medicinal Fruit by Shekher Phadnis (in Navhind Times) Pomegranates have been used medicinally for over 8,000 years, but the Western world had not paid much attention until recently. Now, with news of pomegranate's unsurpassed antioxidant content, the fruit has rocketed to stardom. If there were a Superstar Award for a fruit, it would probably go to this one. With newer health benefits being discovered in every research, the pomegranate has suddenly come into limelight like never before. The ruby red seeds are not only a feast for your eyes but also a nutrition powerhouse for your body. Ayurveda swears by the pomegranate, as every part of the plant [root, bark, flowers, fruit, leaves is used for medicinal purposes in this ancient medical science, and a tonic for the heart. The fruit when it is taken directly, gives cooling effect to the abdomen and also does blood purification. In allopathy, it has the most published clinical data to support its health benefits, specifically against cardiovascular diseases. In Hinduism, the fruit (Sanskrit: Beejpur, literally: replete with seeds) symbolizes prosperity and fertility, and is associated with both Bhoomidevi (the earth goddess) and Lord Ganesha (who is also called Bijapuraphalasakta, or the one fond of the many-seededfruit. According to the Qur'an, pomegranates grow in the gardens of paradise . The Qur'an also mentions pomegranates twice as examples of good things God creates. Although, no data on acreage and production of pomegranate at world level is available, however, it is estimated that annually approximately 1,439.1 thousand tons of pomegranate are produced. Out of this, 849.1 thousand tons are produced in India, while around 120 thousand tons each is produced in Spain and Iran, rest of the quantity i.e. 350 thousand tons is produced in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, Chile, Peru, USA, etc. The pomegranates from India enjoy good market in European Union and the Gulf countries. Over 40 per cent of the crop is exported to these countries. In the last one decade pomegranate growing in India has increased, as it fetches as much as 76000 rupees per tonne when exported, that is nearly five times as compared to a mere 17000 rupees a tonne export price, for the best alphonso mango. India exported 35.2 thousand tonnes of fruits valued at Rs 911 million in 2008 compared to the 1310 million for 80 thousand tones of mangoes. The total area under cultivation of pomegranate in India is 116.4 thousand hectacres and Maharashtra is the leading producer of pomegranate followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Ganesh, Bhagwa ( saffron coloured) , Ruby, Arakta and Mridula are the different varieties of pomegranates produced in these states. An average sized pomegranate, commonly called anar contains approximately 600 edible seeds under its thick red covering. It is a rich source of iron, vitamin C, potassium, riboflavin, Niacin and thiamin. One pomegranate contains around 100 calories and only about 25 gms of sugar. The nectar of the fruit is extracted for many commericial uses. In some parts of the world like India, the edible seeds of this fruit are also used as a spice. The thick skin of the pomegranate helps it remain fresh for a long time Research indicates that the antioxidants in pomegrantes are two or three times higher than in red wine and green tea. When buying pomegranates, choose those that are heavy and do not have a split skin. When stored in the fridge, this fruit can keep for as long as six months, but are best eaten fresh. The traditional method for extraction of aril from pomegranate involves cutting the fruit in pieces and then removing the edible seeds by hitting on the fruit by wooden mallet. This method also cuts some arils and shortens their shelf life. For juice the separated seeds are pressed in the screw press or basket press. Of late new machines to core the pomegranate has come in the market for commercial purposes. Processing them at a rate of 28 fruits per minute, handling some 600 kilograms of fruit per hour, they enjoy a yield of over 200 kilograms of undamaged seeds per hour Ways to use pomegranate in your diet Grind a cupful of seeds, filter out the seeds and drink the juice. Seeds can be dried and powdered and used instead of amchur powder to give a sweet-sour taste to certain curries. A simple salad can be made with pomegranate seeds, raw sprouted moong beans, finely chopped cucumber, topped with grated coconut. Make a delicious pomegranate raita by mixing the seeds in curd seasoned with salt and pepper and garnished with chopped coriander leaves. Add it into curd-rice for a beautiful garnish as well as a nice crunch. Pomegranate juice mixed with various spices is used as a marinade for meats and chickens to give them an exotic flavour Pomegranate seeds are sometimes used as a spice, known as anardana (which literally means pomegranate seeds, mostly in North Western frontier cuisine.
