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Pomegranate
is good for you, but not a wonder fruit
March 25, 2009
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Bulbous
bottles of pomegranate juice beckon from end-aisle displays
in the supermarket.
Pomegranate tea, sauces, supplements, pom-infused wine vinegar
and a long line of other pom-ified products pop out at every
turn, it seems. Restaurants are even serving pomegranate martinis.
What’s up with all the attention on pomegranates? And
more importantly, should you start substituting red juice
for orange?
I’m not.
There’s no reason to avoid fresh, whole pomegranates
if you enjoy them. Just like scores of other fruits and vegetables,
they’re a health-supporting, vitamin- and mineral-rich
food.
We all need to eat much more of all of these, more often.
But despite a marketing campaign pouring millions of dollars
into pumping up the press on pomegranates, the fact remains:
the pomegranate is a healthful food, but there’s no
reason to think it holds powers any greater than many other
ordinary – and plentiful – foods.
In other words, don’t fall for the marketing gimmick.
Here’s how I size up the pomegranate fad: It is a flash
in the fruitbowl.
If you’ve never seen a fresh, whole pomegranate, stroll
through the produce section of the supermarket next time you
are there and pick one up. There are many varieties, but the
one most often sold in the U.S. is about a size of a man’s
fist, purple-red on the outside and filled with glistening
seeds secured in juice-filled sacs.
Pomegranates are a mess to eat. The tart-sweet juice –
ruby red in color – stains dish towels and kitchen sponges,
as well as your shirt, if you’re not extra-careful.
The rich color is one clue, though, to the nutrients the fruit
contains. Pomegranates are a rich source of health-supporting
phytochemicals, including folate, vitamin C, potassium, dietary
fiber and many others.
Over the years, studies have linked diets high in fruits and
vegetables with improved health, including reduced risk of
some forms of cancer and heart disease. Not surprisingly,
money funneled into research on pomegranates has yielded similar
findings.
I’d expect the same if the money had been funneled into
the study of bananas or broccoli.
So, whole, fresh pomegranates are good for you. But that’s
not the way most people eat them.
In the forms pomegranates are now commonly marketed, they
have some definite drawbacks. For example:
* As a beverage. Pomegranate juice is nutritious, but it’s
also high in calories – about 160 in one cup. I’ve
discussed in previous columns advice about limiting caloric
beverages, including fruit juice.
When it’s used as a mixer in alcoholic beverages, it’s
an ever greater nutritional negative.
* As an “added value” ingredient in candy, tea,
sauces and other edibles. These products can be expensive,
and the nutritional benefits of a splash of pom aren’t
enough to warrant top dollar.
We haven’t found the fountain – or fruit –
of youth yet.
* As a supplement. Be cautious about taking any substance
not normally found in nature in concentrated doses.
In fact, although pomegranate juice is generally considered
safe, like grapefruit juice, it may interfere with the action
of certain medications. Let your pharmacist or physician know
if you are making pomegranates a regular part of your diet.
The bottom line: If you’d like to add some sparkle to
a salad or just like the flavor of a fresh pomegranate, enjoy.
As for the juices and jellies and pom-infused salad dressings
– you’ll get more for your money if you reach
for a peach.
Suzanne
Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian and clinical
associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and
Management and the Department of Nutrition in the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health. Send questions and comments
to suzanne@onthetable.net.
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