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Seeds of Youth

Posted Thu, Nov 23, 2006, 6:11 am PST
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I've always been intimidated by pomegranates. They're beautiful but dangerous, squirting their permanent red juice everywhere when you try to wrestle the seeds out.   But this holiday season, my local market got smart and hung a how-to sign next to a basket of the knobby red fruit. 

The secret, it turns out, is to break apart pomegranates underwater. Score the leathery rind, then submerge the fruit in a bowl of water while you break apart the segments and tease the seeds free from the white pith. The pith floats, so it's easy to skim off. Pour the rest through a colander and in minutes you'll have hundreds of seeds and no stains!  

Pomegranate seeds are worth the trouble because they're an anti-aging, skin-protecting, cancer-fighting powerhouse - a true RealAge food: Each bittersweet seed is packed with anthocyanins, vitamin C, lyocpene and resveratrol. Research in humans has shown that the juice reduces several risk factors for heart disease and inhibits tumor growth. But the star of the show beauty-wise is ellagic acid. 

"Ellagic acid increases the body's built-in supply of glutathione, an antioxidant that both protects DNA and helps recycle estrogen, which protects skin cells. It also inhibits certain enzymes in ways that give cells time to divide normally," explains Los Angeles dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D., who has been putting pomegranate extract in his skin-care products for nearly 20 years

The ancient Greeks believed that eating this "apple of many seeds" might lead to immortality. I'll settle for keeping my skin cells plump a little longer, my heart healthier, and any cancer-preventing help I can get.

  • 1. Posted by rsemn_e10 on Tue, Dec 05, 2006, 10:27 pm PST

    Wow. I amazed this tip.Excellent research.I grabbed this.

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  • 2. Posted by Sharon S on Thu, Jan 04, 2007, 4:18 pm PST

    Did you know that the pomegranate is where we got the name for hand granades? Same principle. Little pods full of seeds that fit in your hand. Strange how things get named sometimes, isn't it.

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  • 3. Posted by Harvey on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 8:04 am PST

    It's fun taking apart a pomegranate. And the seeds are really good too. it does take a long time to do though.

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  • 4. Posted by hobbitt51 on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 9:25 am PST

    We used to play with pomegranates when I was a kid. The fact that they would stain was the whole idea! Now I try to behave and just eat the seeds. ;)

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  • 5. Posted by Russ the health writer on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 10:23 am PST

    I tell all of my clients the pomegranate offers a number of great health benefits from beauty to a natural source of estrogen. Taking them apart can be tricky. Removing the seeds underwater is the best way to do it. The website Orchard of Health. com www.orchardofhealth.com has step-by-step photos to remove and dry the seeds.

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  • 6. Posted by amanda_e_hayes on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:19 am PST

    I wonder does the pomegranate juice (that you see so often now) have the same level of benefit as eating the fruit. I love pomegranate juice.

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  • 7. Posted by Sharon on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:20 am PST

    Many stores sell 100% pomegranate juice or a pomegranate blueberry 100% juice blend in the refrigerated section. A little pricey but worth it. I enjoy mine with a bit of black cherry juice concetrate, said to be good for arthritis.

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  • 8. Posted by Edwina.....Darling. Wheres Patsy?? on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:20 am PST

    .

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  • 9. Posted by alice n on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:22 am PST

    plusthe pomegranta martini is absolutely yummy...and now a way to stay young.....does it get any better!!!!

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  • 10. Posted by mitziecat@rogers.com on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:23 am PST

    I used to hate eating pomogranates because of the seeds. Now I discovered seedless pomograntes and can't get enough of the now.

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  • 11. Posted by Zaiah H on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:28 am PST

    I love pomergranets I actually started eating them when I was 8

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  • 12. Posted by rayshellhaggins on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:29 am PST

    My family keeps a solk of pomeagranets because they r sooooooo good and wit the juciey red inside makes u want 2 go back 4 more we eat about 2 each a-day.

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  • 13. Posted by Debra B on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:32 am PST

    This fruit reminds me of simpler times, when my mother and I would eat this and see would laugh at me eating it. I would have my hands & face red. I have done the same with my grand-daughter. I eat them almost every day (when in season) and now my sons bring them to me for gifts.

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  • 14. Posted by deborah r on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:42 am PST

    Great information. I always liked this fruit, but never thought about eating it regularly. I am now!!!!!

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  • 15. Posted by Steven C on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:45 am PST

    The white pith, although extremely bitter, is a fantastic intestinal cleanser. You can dry the pith and powder it and take with honey, or put into gelatin capsues (found in the health food store). The cleansing agent is only found in the pith and the peel, not in the seeds, and will purge parasitic organisms from the system.

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  • 16. Posted by miss buffaloe on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:46 am PST

    while watching the food network, Bobby Flav halved the pomegrant and then used a large spoon and beat the seeds out. I tried and it worked, no red hands and juice to contend with. Can't wait til next season.

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  • 17. Posted by raincloud93 on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:52 am PST

    Great tip! I love pomegranates. My pet chinchilla's name is Pomegranate. =D

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  • 18. Posted by aac_check on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:53 am PST

    The seeds also freeze well. I put them in portions and seal them well (use the glad freezer bags). Just defrost in fridge and enjoy!

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  • 19. Posted by greenguy3329 on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 11:57 am PST

    The water technique is probably not the best idea because vitamin C and all the B vitamins are water soluble and soaking in water will cause the vitamins to leak out.

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  • 20. Posted by mishe_7 on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:06 pm PST

    Is buying juice just as good , or should I just get the actual fruit?

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  • 21. Posted by beckenus2003 on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:15 pm PST

    I have a question I saw a recipe recently that added pom seeds to guacamole I was wondering can you eat the seeds or should you spit them out?

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  • 22. Posted by Betherz on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:18 pm PST

    Try beating the seads out with a wooden spoon, the seeds come out so much better and it is cleaner and not as messy. Beat the seads out over a bowl and they'll fall in large groups into the bowl. You can cut them in halves, or quarter them... Just start tapping the wooden spoon on the back of the pomegranite and watch the seeds fall out! Hope this helps..

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  • 23. Posted by Bob on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:23 pm PST

    I heard that if you have a vita mixer. You can put in the whole pomegranate in and juice the whole thing. It's supposed to be a natural insulin for diabetics. Has anyone heard anything about this???

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  • 24. Posted by vbar on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:24 pm PST

    you know, i have always liked pomegranites, but they were SO messy to open up and eat, and i have stained countless contertops and floors trying to eat it so i found this article VERY useful for the future devouring of pomegranates! thanks so much for the tip!!!!

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  • 25. Posted by HealthNut on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:24 pm PST

    Pomegranates are good, but I just stumbled upon Black Currants. What a delicious and amazingly healthy little berry. I found a currant juice on the shelf of my local produce section (right next to Pom) called CurrantC. This has to be the best health juice I have ever tasted!!! Cool story too, Black Currants used to be illegal in the US until recently (www.currantc.com). Also, this stuff mixes really well with seltzer, and even with vodka!!!

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  • 26. Posted by derisoncsc on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:25 pm PST

    Good info but I need some good recipes/ ways to eat the seeds

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  • 27. Posted by P S on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:33 pm PST

    I buy pomegranite juice concentrate from Brown Acre Foods. They have lots of other stuff, too. Great site!

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  • 28. Posted by food lover on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:33 pm PST

    The best way to take the seeds out is what miss Baffaloe said on coment #16 except you should make a cut on the skin and break it into 4 pieces, then push the skin with your thumbs so the seeds pop out,then hold in to a big pot and hit it with th back of a spoon.Try Mashti Malone's Pomegranate sorbet.You can find them in Whole Foods stores or order it online on their website.It's the best.www.mashtimalone.com

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  • 29. Posted by Ric P on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:40 pm PST

    pom juice is just the begining. any juice that is pure will help . this time of year all the help you can give yourself is a posative.

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  • 30. Posted by odette l on Sun, Jan 14, 2007, 12:41 pm PST

    great tip, I like pomegranite but never eat them all that much, but I starte now.

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