By You may often find yourself subjected to the question of “so, what’s your favorite fruit?”. Everyone rattles off their personal choices, and you typically get answers such as apples, raspberries, peaches, watermelon, or any other variety of popular fruit. However, how many people do you know that usually say pomegranate?
My point is that this superfruit, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, is severely underrated. Perhaps it’s the relative scarcity of such produce in grocery stores, or maybe it’s the steep price ($4.95 each at my local grocery store!), but one thing is for sure — the world needs to eat more pomegranates.
Native to a region comprising northern India to Iran, a pomegranate can be compared to any historical treasure found in this Cradle of Civilization; fairly unseemly from the outside, if you have the patience to carefully excavate and slice it open, the treasure within shall be yours: the delicious, ruby-like seeds. In my personal opinion, the taste of these edible jewels are beyond compare, being a burst of tartness and sweetness that dance a mouth-watering tango on the tip of your tongue. In a sense, the unique flavor is almost overwhelming; I sometimes find it difficult to finish an entire pomegranate, lest I satiate my appetite for the entire rest of the day.
It’s almost hard to believe that such an unbelievably delicious food can also be so healthy, but it’s true (and thank Christ for that). This fruit is ripe with Vitamin K, which is essential for preventing blood clots, thus lowering the risk of developing heart disease, as well as Vitamin C, which boosts collagen production on top of being a potent antioxidant. Pomegranates are also hosts to a significant amount of potassium, manganese, and Vitamin B9. Eating two to three of these lovely fruits a week can do wonders for your health in the long term.
Trust me, the benefits don’t even stop there. When you cut open a pomegranate, make sure you save some of the juice; not only is it healthy and nutritious, but it makes for a great skincare solution. Essentially, because the juice contains such a high concentration of Vitamin C, you can rub in a few drops on your skin every morning to give your face a healthy glow, boost cell growth, and clear away unsightly blemishes or dark spots. The juice is also known to have anti-aging properties, helping to reduce wrinkles or the look of tiredness. One thing that I do every day in order to acquire a more rosy complexion on my face is dab a cotton pad in the juice and simply wipe it along my nose and cheeks — it makes you look as though you spent the day in the sun without all the, you know, skin cancer. Few fruits offer such versatility and all-around benefits, and pale in comparison to the eminence that is the pomegranate.
So my readers, I suggest you snoop around the produce section next time you head to the grocery store and see if they have any pomegranates in stock; don’t be deceived by their oftentimes rough outer appearance. The true deliciousness lies within — find out for yourself!
ESTILAVIDA 