BT-054 · Lythraceae

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Evidence: LimitedGenerally safe

A pomegranate holds about 600 seeds on average; in Anatolia they say every pomegranate has one seed from paradise.

Other names: Granada, nar (Turkish)
Part used: Fruit, rind, flowers
Region: Anatolia and the Mediterranean
Use: Food, Healing, Ritual and shamanic

Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is Pomegranate?

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a plant of the Lythraceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: fruit, rind, flowers.

What is Pomegranate used for?

Traditional use: A symbol of plenty; a pomegranate is smashed when moving into a new home or at New Year. Scientific evidence: limited. Rich in polyphenols.

Is Pomegranate safe?

Safety label: generally safe. The fruit is safe. Rind and root bark are toxic in high doses. Pomegranate juice may affect how some drugs are broken down.

Traditional use

Anatolia

A symbol of plenty; a pomegranate is smashed when moving into a new home or at New Year. The rind is boiled for diarrhoea; pomegranate molasses is used in cooking.

Ancient Mediterranean

The pomegranate seeds Persephone ate bound her to the underworld; the cycle of the seasons is told through this myth.

In nature

Where it grows: Aegean, Mediterranean and Southeast; the best known are Hicaz and Siirt pomegranates.
Harvest season: Fruit ripens September–November.
Local names: nar, enar, hicaz narı

Mix-up risk

Ornamental pomegranates bear small, sour fruit; there is no poisonous look-alike.

Preparation

Eaten fresh or juiced; the rind is dried and boiled; pomegranate molasses is made by reducing the juice.

What science says

Rich in polyphenols. Small studies report that pomegranate juice lowers blood pressure slightly; evidence for claims such as prostate cancer is insufficient.