Fruits
Pomegranate
Pomegranate
fruit is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern
India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole
Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely
cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of
southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical
Africa.
The tree was introduced into California by spanish
settlers in 1769. In this country it is grown for its
fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and
Arizona.
The pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits as well as
richest in history and folklore. Once you get past the
multitude of seeds, its juice is tangy, sweet, rich and
flavorful. This juice becomes the base for sauces and
flavorings for drinks, savory dishes, and sweets, while
the whole seeds are a simple delight eaten fresh or used
as a colorful accent as a garnish. The fruit is about
the size of an orange. The rind color can range from
yellow-orange to deep reddish-purple.
Pomegranates contain polyphenols, tannins and
anthocyanins.
Extra Information:
Every pomegranate is composed of many seeds, each
surrounded by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a
thin skin. The seeds are compacted in a layer resembling
honeycomb around the core. The layers of seeds are
separated by paper-thin white membranes which are bitter
to the tongue. The inner membranes and rind are not
generally eaten due to high tannic acid content, but
they are useful as a skin wash.
