I’ve always been intrigued by pomegranates, ever since I read the story about Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring and daughter of the agriculture goddess Demeter who vowed not to eat until she was set free from the underworld. But she couldn’t resist a pomegranate, and swallowed six of the seeds. Thus the yearly cycle of six months abundance and six months winter came to be. (Although I heard that Californians say she ate only two seeds and Eskimos say she ate the whole fruit)
This seed-laden fruit has long been the symbol of fertility. In ancient China, sugared pomegranate seeds were served to guests at weddings and the ripe fruits were thrown to the floor of the newlyweds’ bedchamber where they burst open and spread their seeds across the room!
In certain other traditions, the pomegranate was said to be the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Mohammed encouraged his followers to eat pomegranates, believing they cleansed people of hatred and envy.
Many studies show that the pomegranate is one of the most powerful, nutrient-dense foods for overall good health. These clinical findings clearly show a correlation between pomegranate compounds and their positive effect on both human and animal cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal health. This is one fruit that you can’t afford to exclude from your diet!
When you buy pomegranates, look for the bigger, heavier ones. They have the most juice. The outside rind should be dark red and firm. They’re messy, fun to eat, and crazy to cut open because they squirt their juice in all directions. Some people start at the top and peel back the skin, then carefully separate the fruit into sections so that not even one seed gets squished. This Citrus Pomegranate Drink below follows the cut-open-and-squirt method. Be sure to wear dark clothing or an apron!
Pomegranate tree in Oakland, California
Citrus Pomegranate Juice
Serves 4
Adding pomegranate juice to a citrus blend adds a dose of color, flavor and antioxidants.
2 small grapefruits
2 juice oranges
2 tangerines
1/2 lime
2 pomegranates
1) Use a citrus press or a juicer to juice the fruits.
2) Pour into serving glasses & enjoy!
*I'll often fill the glass 1/2 way or 3/4 with sparkling water and then fill the remainder with this yummy citrus. Makes it last longer!
Our family dog, Lulu, used to love pomegranate seeds (and carrots, and cookies, and peanut butter... you name it!). Now, whenever I peel a pomegranate, I think of her.
