Pomegranate
Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Pomegranate is a ruby-red fruit with juicy seeds—called arils—that can be added to salads, cocktails, and meat- or rice-based entrees.
This versatile fruit provides important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and copper, along with a healthy dose of fiber.
Like most fruits, pomegranate is very low in fat and sodium.
While it can be labor-intensive to free the arils from the flesh of the pomegranate, it's worth it for their bright flavor and antioxidants.
Pomegranate Nutrition Facts
One pomegranate (282g) provides 234 calories, 4.7g of protein, 52.7g of carbohydrates, and 3.3g of fat.
Pomegranate seeds, or arils, are a very good source of fiber and rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. This nutrition information, for one pomegranate that is 4 inches in diameter, is provided by the USDA.
Carbs
Pomegranate calories come primarily from carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates in pomegranate. You'll get 21 grams of sugar if you consume a medium-sized fruit. You'll also benefit from 6 grams of fiber, or 21% of the recommended daily intake.
As expected, carb counts, sugars, and calories are different for pomegranate juice compared to the fruit. According to USDA data, one cup (8 oz) of 100% pomegranate juice provides 134 calories, 33 grams of carbohydrate, 31 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of fiber.
Pomegranate juice cocktail (pomegranate juice blended with other fruit juices and added sugar) usually has more calories, carbs, and sugar than plain pomegranate juice.
The estimated glycemic load (GL) of fresh pomegranate is 18. Glycemic load is an estimated glycemic index that considers the serving size of a given food or beverage.
It is considered more helpful than just using glycemic index for people choosing foods based on their effects on blood glucose.
Fats
There is a small amount of fat in pomegranate. There is less than 1 gram each of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat in a whole fruit.
These small amounts are not likely to make a significant difference in your diet unless you consume a considerable amount of this food.
Protein
Pomegranate provides a small amount of protein. A medium-sized fruit provides 3 grams of protein. You'll get nearly 5 grams of protein from a larger fruit.
Pomegranate juice, on the other hand, provides almost no protein (0.4 grams per cup).
Vitamins and Minerals
Whole, fresh pomegranate contains important vitamins and minerals. There is 16mg of vitamin C in a medium-sized fruit, which is about 18% of the recommended daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
A medium-sized pomegranate also contains 28% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K for women and 21% for men.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps with blood clotting functions in the body.
Recommended daily allowance (RDA) is the daily level sufficient to meet the nutrition requirements of nearly all (97% to 98%) healthy individuals.
Pomegranates are also a good source of folate (15% of RDA), copper (27% of RDA), thiamin (9% of RDA), vitamin B6 (9% of RDA), and potassium (10% of the recommended intake; potassium does not have an RDA).
According to the USDA, if you drink pomegranate juice, you'll still benefit from vitamin K, folate, and (some) copper, but the juice provides almost no vitamin C.
However, new products come out every day, which may include vitamin C. It is best to check food labels.
Calories
One pomegranate (282g) provides 234 calories, 81% of which comes from carbs, 12% from fat, and 8% from protein.
Health Benefits
Pomegranate seeds and juice contain compounds and nutrients with health-promoting qualities.
Helps Build Bones, Cartilage, and Muscle.
Pomegranates provide lots of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid). This vitamin is essential for good bone structure, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes wound healing. Vitamin C must be consumed through the diet because our bodies are unable to make it.
Fights Oxidative Stress
According to the National Institutes of Health, "Ongoing research is examining whether vitamin C, by limiting the damaging effects of free radicals through its antioxidant activity, might help prevent or delay the development of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases in which oxidative stress plays a causal role.
Pomegranates also contain other antioxidant compounds, such as quercetin and anthocyanins, which also repair cell damage caused by oxidative stress.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar and Digestion
You'll get a healthy boost of fiber when you consume pomegranate arils (not juice).
Most of us don't get enough fiber in our diets each day. Fiber helps boost satiety, improves digestive health, and may help lower blood cholesterol.
It also helps to slow the absorption of sugar, so your blood glucose doesn't spike after eating.
Lowers Blood Pressure
A research review analyzing the effect of pomegranate juice on blood pressure suggests that drinking about one cup of the juice can help reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure and could benefit people with hypertension and people at risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Improves Exercise Performance
The antioxidants in pomegranate juice can strengthen muscles and help them recover after exercise. They may also improve performance during athletic exercise.
Allergies
Pomegranate allergies are not common, but they are possible.
Symptoms may include itching, swelling, runny nose, and difficulty breathing.
If you suspect that you may be allergic to pomegranate, see an allergy specialist to get a diagnosis.
Adverse Effects
Certain medications for high cholesterol (commonly called statins) may interact with pomegranate juice.
Both pomegranate juice and grapefruit juice have a similar effect on the body, so these and other medications that interact with grapefruit juice may also interact with the juice from pomegranates.
If you are on medication, speak with your healthcare provider before including the fruit in your diet to stay safe.
Because pomegranate is rich in vitamin K, it may interfere with the blood clotting medicine Coumadin (warfarin). But appropriate dietary levels of vitamin K vary, so discuss your diet with your doctor if you take this medicine.