Pomegranate Lore

Native to Persia, pomegranates are thought to be one of the oldest known fruits.

In Rome, the pomegranate was called the Punic apple. The botanical name is punicum granatu, which has its root in punic. That was the name of the city of Carthage, the namesake of this tasty treat. The other half of the work comes from granatum which means “many seeds”.

The pomegranate has traveled far and wide. The fruit was brought to China in 100 BC. Then, it was the Moors who imported the pomegranate to Spain in 800 AD. Granada, a city in Spain, was named for the pomegranate. The fruit is so popular there it eventually became the cities emblem.

In Britain, the inaugural planting of the pomegranate was performed by King Henry VIII. In the 18^th century, the French named a weapon, a hand-tossed explosive, after the pomegranate, calling it a grenade. It came to America by way of the Spanish conquistadors.

The pomegranate has been revered through time. It is considered a royal fruit, used throughout history in coats of arms, fabric patterns, and praised in literature and art.

The skin has a high tannin content and was, in ancient Rome, used to tan leather.

Nutritional Benefits of Pomegranate

Pomegranates are revered with good reason. Our forbears knew of the power of the pomegranate and its positive effect on the body.

The beauty of the pomegranate is in both its unlikely external appearance and the surprising inner nest of deep red seeds, known as arils, resting within a white membrane. The membrane is bitter to the taste and typically not eaten. The arils contain the juice of the pomegranate and one seed. The arils can be eaten seed and all.

With a tart flavor and an underlying sweetness, the pomegranate offers the best of both tastes, with the promise of possibility held within its seeds. Nutritionally, pomegranates are as full of promise as its legendary status in history.

There are only 72 calories in a ½ cup of arils, while 1 cup of juice contains only 139 calories.

That same cup of juice contains 40% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. Combined with the presence of Vitamin A and potassium, the pomegranate is a fantastic source of all kinds of nutritional good.

• Antioxidants: They are, of course, necessary to keep our entire system healthy. In comparison, pomegranate juice has 3x more antioxidant fighting power ounce for ounce than red wine. That makes pomegranate juice an excellent alcohol substitute.

• Blood Thinning: Pomegrantes have been shown to work at thinning the blood and reducing plaque in arteries. In addition, it promotes the HDL cholesterol cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol, a positive correlation with cardiovascular health.

• Lowering Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that imbibing a mere 1 ounce  of pomegranate juice daily can lower systolic blood pressure up to 20%.

• Cancer Fighter: Due to its high level of antioxidants, pomegranate juice is a great addition to your diet to fight against breast and skin cancer. New research also shows pomegranate helps inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the prostate, too.

• Arthritis Attacker: A study indicates that pomegranate juice inhibits an enzyme that damages cartilage. For those suffering arthritis and join pain, the addition of pomegranate juice in your diet might just ease some of your woes.

• Flu Fighter: Drink pomegranate juice when you think you’re coming down with the flu (or when you know you’ve already got it!) Pomegranates are rich in punicalagin, a polyphenol that inhibits the flue virus. (from Phytomedicine, July 2009 issue)

Preparation and Storage of Pomegranate

Peel the pomegranate if you have the enduring and Godly patience. Otherwise, slice off the top and cut it into wedges. Fill a bowl with cold water and remove the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom and any membrane will float. Compost the membrane and juice or eat the seeds!

Pomegranate seeds will store in the fridge for 3-5 days in a air-tight container.

Pomegranate Passion Smoothie

• 2 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
• 6 oz. non-fat yogurt or nut milk (depending on the consistency you wish your smoothie to be)
• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• Handful of ice

Put everything in the blender, give it a whirl, and enjoy!

Sources:

• http://habee.hubpages.com/hub/Super-Food-How-and-Why-to-Consume-Pomegranate
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/66461-nutritional-information-pomegranates/
• http://homecooking.about.com/od/fruit/a/pomejuice.htm
• http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/11-health-benefits-of-pomegranate-juice.html

Stress……some of us deal with it better than others, some have more stress than the rest of us, and some have stress thrust upon them!  Stress can show up in many different ways; upset stomach, tension headache, acid reflux, neck pain, eye strain, panic attacks, feeling frazzled, high blood pressure, forgetfulness, sadness, anger, overeating, undereating, increased smoking or drinking, worry, depression, skin disorders, sleep problems and ultimately heart disease and autoimmune disorders.

“Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response”, says healthguide.org.  We all have some version of stress.  Some is ok, stress can help you in times of emergency or when life requires you to be on your toes.  Chronic stress and emotional stress are the triggers for health problems.  The body doesn’t know the difference between physical and psychological stress, so it will react the same way to everyday stress as it would to a life or death situation.  

How do you react to everyday stress?  Do you hold it in, you know, way down in your stomach, do you react or do you respond to the situation?  There is a difference between reacting and responding.  Reaction is just the way it sounds….you react.  That could be with anger, frustration, yelling, blame, or any of the symptoms listed above.  A response is a conscious solution to the problem.  When something frustrating happens, taking a deep breath, looking at the problem and thinking…”OK, this just happened.  What am I going to do now”? 

But it doesn’t always work that way, does it?  The body responds to stress quickly.  Negative thoughts creap in, the tension starts.  So how about some alternatives for the moments when the answer isn’t there right away?  Here are some things that I always work for me for those “life’s uncertain” moments. 

Change your mind:  Change your mind, change your life.  Positive thinking can go a long way.  Fake it till you make it.  Change the negative thoughts in your head to positive ones.  Yes, you can!

Laughter:  Watch a classic comedy movie.  Laughter can stimulate your organs, soothe tension and stomachaches and activate and relieve your stress response.

Have a good social support: Friends and family who are there to give you a sense of belonging, self worth and your friends can be there to alert you to potential stress situations.  Be grateful to your friends and family for “being there” for you.

Relaxation techniques: Yoga, meditation, and tai chi can slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, improve concentration and reduce anger and frustration.  If you can’t make the time for a class, just sitting still and closing your eyes and counting will help. That old saying, “count to ten” when you are ready to explode, is a great way to go.

Exercise:  A simple 20 minute walk can go a long way to relieve stress and its effects.  I just got back from my walk and my mind is fresh for writing. 

Healthy eating: Wheatgrass juice will clear the mind, clear the fog of the day.  Eating a living food diet gives the body the energy to heal. 

Understanding your sources of stress can lead you to the solution.  Will the above work for you or do you need something more?  Seek help from a physician or therapist when it seems life’s ups and downs are just too much for you to handle alone. 

Here are some natural alternatives to take for stress relief:

Nux Vomica: can help with irritability, sleeplessness and headaches.

Bach’s Rescue Remedy:  Natural stress relief.  I always have this on hand.

Find out what works for you.  Daily stress can be reduced in intensity.   Listening to a stress reducing cd in your car on the way to and from work can help to alleviate the stressors of the day.  When you arrive home, changing out of your work clothes and just spending 5 minutes or more sitting and breathing. 

Relax, breathe….I wish you peace

Bored with bananas?  Aggravated with apples?  Grumbling about grapes?  Me too. But if you’re like me you discipline yourself to stay healthy.  Is it any wonder most people have trouble sticking with a healthy diet?  Well I have some hope for you my friends.  Below are some alternatives to the old fruit standards to rejuvenate your palate while maintaining your healthy lifestyle.

What was Beethoven’s favorite fruit? Banananaaaas!  (That joke is better told out loud where the punch line can be sung to the tune of Beethoven’s 5^th.)  But, I think even he would get sick of them after a while… although in truth I’m not sure how plentiful bananas were in 19^th century Germany.  Anyway, bananas are not only a staple in every blended smoothie but essential for the maintenance of good blood pressure.  Nonetheless too many bananas can make anyone go “blah!”.  As an alternative, try fresh figs (no not in your smoothie).    Six fresh figs have 891 mg of blood pressure-lowering potassium, nearly 20% of your daily need — about double what you’d find in one large banana. In a recent 5-year study from the Netherlands, high-potassium diets were linked with lower rates of death from all causes in healthy adults age 55 and older.  Figs are also one of the best fruit sources of calcium, with nearly as much per serving as ½ cup of fat-free milk! You’re bones will love you for it.

Interested in fighting disease and protecting your heart but gagging on grapes?  Try lychee.  A French study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that lychee has the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols of all fruits tested — nearly 15% more than the amount found in grapes. The compounds may also play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer. “Polyphenols act like a force field, helping to repel foreign invaders from damaging your cells,” says David Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!  As well, a recent test-tube and animal study from Sichuan University in China found that lychee may help to prevent the formation of breast cancer cells, thanks to the fruit’s powerful antioxidant activity.

Everyone wants great skin but who could eat so many oranges.  Not me, so I maintain my glow with guava.  One cup of guava has nearly five times as much skin-healing vitamin C (it’s a key ingredient in collagen production) as a medium orange (377 mg versus 83 mg) — that’s more than five times your daily need. Women who eat a lot of vitamin C-packed foods have fewer wrinkles than women who don’t eat many, according to a recent study that tracked the diets of more than 4,000 American women ages 40 to 74.  Guava can also protect against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria and Staph, according to research by microbiologists in Bangladesh. As well, a cooperative study by the USDA and Thai scientists found that guava has as much antioxidant activity as some well-known superfoods like blueberries and broccoli.

Apples are great at lowering cholesterol but terrible if you want to stay in the Garden of Eden.  So why not avoid the snake and eat asian pears.  One large Asian pear has nearly 10g of cholesterol-lowering fiber, about 40% of your daily need; a large apple has about half that much. People who ate the most fiber had the lowest total and “bad” cholesterol levels, according to a recent study of Baltimore adults.  The same researchers found that people who ate the most fiber also weighed the least and had the lowest body mass index and waist circumference.

Now I don’t want cancer but I also don’t want any more watermelon for crying out loud.  Now papaya’s have a weird seed thing going on too but it’s still one of the top sources of beta-crypoxanthin, which research suggests can protect against lung cancer. Like watermelon, it is also a rich source of lycopene which, research shows, protects against several different types of cancer, including stomach, endometrial, and prostate.  Papayas also promote healing.  When used topically it may help speed burn recovery thanks partly to the enzyme papain, which also aids in digestion. “Papain helps break down amino acids, the building blocks of protein,” says Elisa Zied, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson.

So there you have it, variety in the world of fruit mundanity.  Remember, most of these alternatives can also be juiced or blended so there’s no more excuses.

Be Well,

Juicy Josh

877MyJuicer.com

Bored with bananas?  Aggravated with apples?  Grumbling about grapes?  Me too. But if you’re like me you discipline yourself to stay healthy.  Is it any wonder most people have trouble sticking with a healthy diet?  Well I have some hope for you my friends.  Below are some alternatives to the old fruit standards to rejuvenate your palate while maintaining your healthy lifestyle.

What was Beethoven’s favorite fruit? Banananaaaas!  (That joke is better told out loud where the punch line can be sung to the tune of Beethoven’s 5th.)  But, I think even he would get sick of them after a while… although in truth I’m not sure how plentiful bananas were in 19th century Germany.  Anyway, bananas are not only a staple in every blended smoothie but essential for the maintenance of good blood pressure.  Nonetheless too many bananas can make anyone go “blah!”.  As an alternative, try fresh figs (no not in your smoothie). Six fresh figs have 891 mg of blood pressure-lowering potassium, nearly 20% of your daily need — about double what you’d find in one large banana. In a recent 5-year study from the Netherlands, high-potassium diets were linked with lower rates of death from all causes in healthy adults age 55 and older.  Figs are also one of the best fruit sources of calcium, with nearly as much per serving as ½ cup of fat-free milk! You’re bones will love you for it.

Interested in fighting disease and protecting your heart but gagging on grapes?  Try lychee.  A French study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that lychee has the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols of all fruits tested — nearly 15% more than the amount found in grapes. The compounds may also play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer. “Polyphenols act like a force field, helping to repel foreign invaders from damaging your cells,” says David Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!  As well, a recent test-tube and animal study from Sichuan University in China found that lychee may help to prevent the formation of breast cancer cells, thanks to the fruit’s powerful antioxidant activity.

Everyone wants great skin but who could eat so many oranges.  Not me, so I maintain my glow with guava. One cup of guava has nearly five times as much skin-healing vitamin C (it’s a key ingredient in collagen production) as a medium orange (377 mg versus 83 mg) — that’s more than five times your daily need. Women who eat a lot of vitamin C-packed foods have fewer wrinkles than women who don’t eat many, according to a recent study that tracked the diets of more than 4,000 American women ages 40 to 74.  Guava can also protect against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria and Staph, according to research by microbiologists in Bangladesh. As well, a cooperative study by the USDA and Thai scientists found that guava has as much antioxidant activity as some well-known superfoods like blueberries and broccoli.

Apples are great at lowering cholesterol but terrible if you want to stay in the Garden of Eden.  So why not avoid the snake and eat asian pears.  One large Asian pear has nearly 10g of cholesterol-lowering fiber, about 40% of your daily need; a large apple has about half that much. People who ate the most fiber had the lowest total and “bad” cholesterol levels, according to a recent study of Baltimore adults.  The same researchers found that people who ate the most fiber also weighed the least and had the lowest body mass index and waist circumference.

Now I don’t want cancer but I also don’t want any more watermelon for crying out loud.  Now papaya’s have a weird seed thing going on too but it’s still one of the top sources of beta-crypoxanthin, which research suggests can protect against lung cancer. Like watermelon, it is also a rich source of lycopene which, research shows, protects against several different types of cancer, including stomach, endometrial, and prostate.  Papayas also promote healing.  When used topically it may help speed burn recovery thanks partly to the enzyme papain, which also aids in digestion. “Papain helps break down amino acids, the building blocks of protein,” says Elisa Zied, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson.

So there you have it, variety in the world of fruit mundanity.  Remember, most of these alternatives can also be juiced or blended so there’s no more excuses.

Be Well,

Juicy Josh

877MyJuicer.com