Scientific Name: Punica granatum
Bahasa Indonesian: Delima
Batak: Delima
Basic Information:
The pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, that grows between 5 and 10 m (16 and 33 ft) tall.
The fruit is typically in season in the Northern Hemisphere from September to February, and in the Southern Hemisphere from March to May. As intact arils or juice, pomegranates are used in baking, cooking, juice blends, meal garnishes, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails and wine.
The pomegranate originated in the region extending from modern-day Iran to northern India, and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region. Today, it is widely cultivated throughout the Middle East and Caucasus region, north and tropical Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, the drier parts of southeast Asia, and parts of the Mediterranean Basin. In the 20th and 21st centuries, it has become more common in the shops and markets of Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
Botanically, the edible fruit is a berry with seeds and pulp produced from the ovary of a single flower.The fruit is intermediate in size between a lemon and a grapefruit, 5–12 cm (2–5 in) in diameter with a rounded shape and thick, reddish husk.
Health Benefits:
- The juice of a single pomegranate has more than 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C
- Pomegranate seeds get their vibrant red hue from polyphenols. These chemicals are powerful antioxidants. Pomegranate juice contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices. It also has three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea. The antioxidants in pomegranate juice can help remove free radicals, protect cells from damage, and reduce inflammation
- Pomegranate juice recently made a splash when researchers found that it may help stop the growth of prostate cancer cells
- The antioxidants in the juice and their high concentration are believed to stall the progress of Alzheimer disease and protect memory
- Pomegranate juice can reduce inflammation in the gut and improve digestion. It may be beneficial for people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases
- Flavonols in pomegranate juice may help block the inflammation that contributes to osteoarthritis and cartilage damage. The juice is currently being studied for its potential effects on osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other types of arthritis and joint inflammation
- Pomegranate juice is in the running as the most heart-healthy juice. It appears to protect the heart and arteries
- Drinking pomegranate juice daily may also help lower systolic blood pressure
- Pomegranate juice’s concentration of antioxidants and ability to impact oxidative stress make it a potential fertility aid. Oxidative stress has been shown to cause sperm dysfunction and decrease fertility in women
Fun Facts:
- The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum “apple” and grānātum “seeded”
- Many scholars believe that it was a pomegranate and not an apple that tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
- The pomegranate is mentioned or alluded to in the Bible many times
- There are over 760 varieties of pomegranate
- Pomegranates can be stored up to 2 months in the refrigerator
- In Hinduism, the pomegranate symbolizes prosperity and fertility
- In Greece, a traditional housewarming gift is a pomegranate placed under or near the home altar of the house in order to bring good luck, fertility and abundance
- In Greek culture, it’s traditional to break pomegranates on the ground at weddings and on New Year’s
- In Japan, the pomegranate plant is often used for bonsai because of the interesting twisted bark that some pomegranate plants can attain
- Every October, the Pomegranate Festival is held in Goychay, Azerbaijan. The festival features pomegranate cuisine, dancing and music
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318385.php
http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-pomegranate/