Pomegranates contain beautiful ruby red seeds known as arils, the only part of the pomegranate you can eat. Crunchy, fruity, nutty, and nutritious easily characterize those gorgeous ruby red babes. They add color, flavor, nutrients, and texture to salads, appetizers, beverages, sauces, glazes, desserts, and make a wonderful healthy snack. This post highlights two easy methods for removing the seeds and dives into their history, religious significance, and health benefits. 😉
A Little Pomegranate History
What’s in a Name?
The word “pomegranate” is derived from the Latin words “pomum” meaning “apple” and “granatus” meaning “seeded”. Well, sounds pretty accurate when you think about the fruit… red and round like apples (some apples) with seeds. The irony is that we eat the opposite parts when comparing apples to pomegranates, the skin of one and the seeds of the other. Hmm… why don’t we have the comparison expression “it’s apples and pomegranates” like “it’s apples and oranges”? Maybe the expression “it’s apples and pomegranates” would be best used in comparing two similarly looking things that are actually very different. Enough language talk!
Aren’t Pomegranate Seeds a New Superfood?
Poor Americans. We so often think we are on the cutting edge of everything (or most things). After all, the United States is the most powerful country in the world ranking #1 for GDP, right? Does that make us too naive and proud? It might appear so since pomegranates are NOT a new superfood. They are a very old fruit first cultivated in Iran during the Early Bronze Age between 3500 and 2000 BC (based on archaeological discoveries). Overtime, they “migrated” into Western Asia and to countries in the Mediterranean. In fact, the city of Granada, Spain is the fruit’s namesake.
Coming to America
“Thanks?” to Spanish explorers like Hernán Cortéz and missionaries, in 1521 the Aztecs were conquered, and missionaries planted pomegranates in Mexico. Hmm… planting pomegranates must have been really important! The good, the bad, and the ugly! That’s our history… all of us! It was through those Spanish missionaries (well, not the exact ones… 200 years later, duh!) who ventured into California in 1792 that pomegranates first landed in the United States. Hmm… again, I say NEW superfood? Marketing strategies are the reason “old” foods, ancient grains like teff, and old-world spices like turmeric become new again; they are only new to many of us Americans, but maybe revived for others.
Pomegranate Seeds
Worldly & Religious Uses
World-Wide Popularity
Those pomegranate seeds know as arils have quite the reputation. Have you ever wondered where grenadine syrup comes from? Pomegranate arils! They are popular world-wide and used in so many ways. Many countries in the Middle East use arils for making grenadine syrup stirred in drinks. India and Pakistan use arils as a spice in cuisine. Turkey ferments them to make wine. Greece uses them in dips and sauces.
Significantly Religious!
They even have their significance in religion. Pomegranates have symbolic importance for the Jewish people year-round. However, it is during Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) that the fruit bears the most significance. For a more concrete symbol, eating the seeds during Rosh Hashanah is the hope of having as many blessings for the coming year as there are seeds. In a more abstract, spiritual sense, eating pomegranates during this time is a symbolic prayer to God that on death, He will not judge based on one’s outside, but will look within and focus on inner intentions and the true desire to do good as a means to connect with Him. Now that’s a spiritual pomegranate! Maybe I should consider eating pomegranate seeds on New Year’s Day along with my black-eyed peas?
Can’t I Just Buy Pomegranate Seeds?
Yes, if you’re lucky. While you can find pomegranate seeds packaged in small containers already removed from the fruit in the store, they are expensive and often sold out (at least in my grocery stores). But, hey! No worries! Don’t hesitate to buy the whole fruit and remove them yourself; it’s super easy!
2 Easy Methods for Removing Pomegranate Arils
Avoid Damaging the Arils
Regardless of the method to remove the arils, you first need to get through the protective skin. The skin is actually quite soft, like leather. If pressed, the skin gives a little like pressing on a leather shoe. While you can simply cut straight through the fruit with a knife, like cutting through an orange, you risk damaging or cutting through the arils (seeds).
4 Scores & a Quarter Inch Deep
Use a knife to score the fruit. Start at one of the root ends and cut about a ¼ inch deep, just enough to cut through the leathery skin down to the opposite end. Repeat another 3 times to divide the fruit into 4 sections.
Method #1: Rake & Whack
The first method is a simple rake and whack. Over a medium bowl, pull one of the scored sections away from the fruit to somewhat remove it from the core. In doing so, the arils will begin to release from the pith and fall into the bowl. You can easily rake them off with your fingers.
Bend the skin back just slightly to loosen the pith and arils. Take a (wooden) spoon and hit the back of the skin over the bowl and watch as the arils release and fall from the pith. Continue doing so until all arils are removed. Use your fingers as needed to remove any arils that are hidden deep within the pith. Finally, rinse and drain the arils. Place them on a towel to dry until ready to use in a dish or eat them.
Method #2: Rake & Float
The second method is a simple rake and float (or sink…). Add enough water to a medium-sized bowl to more than cover a pomegranate. Place a pomegranate section in the water. With the pomegranate section and your hands below the water surface, bend the skin back to loosen the arils. Rake your fingers gently along the arils to release them from the pith.
The dense arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl. The buoyant white pith and skin will float to the top. Simply discard the leathery skin making sure to leave no aril hidden. Continue until arils are removed. Use a slotted spoon to remove the floating pith. Drain the water and any remaining pith leaving the arils. Finally, rinse and drain the arils. Place them on a towel to dry until ready to use in a dish or eat them.
TIP: Some people do not like to remove arils under water as they appear to become waterlogged; however, I’ve never noticed that as a issue.
Pomegranate Seeds: Nutritional Value
There are about 600 arils or 1 cup per pomegranate fruit. For 1 cup of arils, there are about …
- 170 calories,
- 6-7 grams of fiber,
- and 2 grams of fat. Is there another edible seed with so little fat? Hmm….
Pomegranate Seeds: Health Benefits
Pomegranate arils are nutritionally dense with lots of vitamins and minerals. While vitamins and minerals are crucial to human survival, bodily functioning, and prevent illness, there is such a thing as “too much” and that’s not a good thing. Pomegranate arils contribute to a healthy diet, not solve the body’s problems. The following list of vitamins and minerals comprise 10% or more of the daily intake recommendations found in consuming pomegranate arils. Keep that in mind in determining your daily food consumption.
Pomegranate Arils…
Pomegranate arils contain ~10% or more of the following vitamins and minerals as recommended for daily consumption.
- Vitamin C: improves immunity to fight colds and other illness, improves collagen to prevent skin wrinkling, fights cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and strengthens teeth. The list goes on…
- Vitamin K: good for bone health and insulin sensitivity along with kidney functioning,
- Thiamine (aka vitamin B1): good for depression, memory loss, and cardiac functioning,
- Folate (aka vitamin B9 or folic acid): needed for basic RNA & DNA cell functioning, fetal brain, skull, and spine development, and potential skin cancer prevention,
- Potassium: needed for organ functioning like the heart and kidneys, may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cancer, infertility, and strokes,
- Copper: maintains nerve health, supports immune system, helps body absorb iron preventing anemia, forms collagen to prevent bone loss,
- Manganese: may improve bone health to prevent osteoporosis, metabolizes glucose and carbohydrates meaning it can improve glucose tolerance needed to prevent diabetes.
Final Thoughts
Once removed, pomegranate seeds are ready to eat as is or use them in many dishes. Add them to salads, oatmeal, drop them in your favorite beverage, add them to goat cheese topped toasted baguette slices for an appetizer, or use them in desserts like my Holiday Rolled Baklava. Pomegranate seeds make a great healthy, hearty, and flavorful snack. Use them to increase nutritional values in many dishes. I hope you found these tips and health benefits helpful.
Check out my YouTube video on the visuals of removing pomegranate seeds. “How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds (Arils): 2 Easy Methods with Vitamins, Minerals, & Nutritional Info”.
Check out these holiday recipes.
Holiday Rolled Baklava: Pistachios, Pomegranate Seeds, & Orange
Holiday Squash & Cranberry Muffins
Grandma’s Crispy Crust Moist Skillet Cornbread
Canadian Tourtière: Holiday Meat Pie
3 Simple & Flavorful Pie Crusts
Sweet Potato Swirled Babka Bread
Venezuelan Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread)
Grandma’s Yeast Rolls (The Berry Family Recipe)
French Pain d’Épices (Spice Bread)
Greek Vasilopita New Year’s Cake
Spanish King Cake (Rascón de Reyes Epiphany Bread)
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Check out my YouTube Channel as well to see videos of kitchen tips, blog bakes, and dishes.