Pomegranate

Learn how to use this super-healthy fruit in your regular cooking

Cut & clean
Cut outer skin, tap out seeds from the cream-coloured, inedible membrane. Suck the juice off the seeds or chew whole.

Power food
Pomegranates are a good source of vitamin C.

Super salad
Add a tangy health kick to your next salad by simply tapping out raw seeds on mixed green salad. Dress with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Carefully cut through the thin outer skin, and then separate the seeds from the cream-coloured, inedible membrane. The seeds can be eaten raw, sprinkled on fruit salad, strained and used as a paste in cooking, or as a condiment. In Indian cooking they are used for a tart accent. Grenadine and other thick syrups are condensed from the pulpy part of the fruit.

Buying and storing tips

Pomegranates are typically available September through November. Choose pomegranates with good colour and that feel heavy; avoid those with dry-looking, wrinkled, or cracked rind. They will keep at room temperature for two to three days or in the refrigerator for up to three months.

Varieties

Many varieties of pomegranate are available throughout the world. One of the main characteristics that sets off the varieties is the different colour of the pomegranate seeds, which can be scarlet, dark pink, or light red.

Nutrition Highlights

Pomegranate, 1 fruit (raw)
Calories: 105
Protein: 1.46g
Carbohydrate: 26.4g
Total Fat: 0.46g
Fiber: 0.92g
*Good source of: Vitamin C (9.4mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.