Plant Goodness It's Friday! - Pomegranates
Hello,
Plant Goodness It’s Friday! (#pgif). The (not so) subtle reminder to try and eat more plant-based foods/meals/snacks in my day. Click here to see the original post all about it. I try to keep a balance of everything and don’t follow any specific eating regime (#beautifullybalanced), but I do know that adding more plant based whole foods is so good for lots of health reasons and it’s a nice way to get more colour on my plate too.
This week, it’s all about my obsession with pomegranates. These sweet, juicy gems of deliciousness have been making an appearance in my meals a lot recently (and not just on Fridays). Not only do they look and taste good, there are so many health and beauty benefits to these little jewels.
These small ruby coloured seeds have not been branded a “superfood” for nothing…Here are just a few of the health and beauty benefits:-
Packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre – Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folate, Potassium. Particularly high in vitamin C, which is excellent for collagen production in the body and great for all round health, with the added bonus of keeping the skin looking youthful, supple and glowing (I’m all for that!).
Loaded with antioxidants which help repair and protect cells in the body. According to Medical News Today, they contain three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea – so pour yourself a nice glass of red wine with your meal and you’ll get a double whammy of antioxidants!
Weight loss – there have been some studies which show that consuming pomegranate vinegar can help speed up weight loss, and if you’re trying to shrink that waistline it can reduce belly fat significantly. Drink it like a shot with some water, or if the idea of that doesn’t sound too good, add some to olive oil and make a delicious, simple salad dressing.
There are also claims that due to their anti-inflammatory properties, these ruby coloured seeds have a positive impact on fertility, memory, heart disease, diabetes, muscle damage, immune-related disorders and certain cancers.
What’s not to love!
The downside is that the seeds can be fiddly to get out of their casing. But I recently discovered a great video showing an easy way to do it. Or you could always just buy the seeds ready to go from the supermarket (you’ll find them in the prepared fruit section). You will pay a bit more for them, but they are certainly hassle-free.
I’ve been adding these ruby pearls to everything lately (sweet or savoury)… porridge oats, smoothies, salads, curry, mezze bowls, Moroccan-style couscous/quinoa, or just making a dressing with them. And of course, if you don’t fancy having them as part of a meal, you could just do it the good old fashioned way - cut in half and eat the seeds with a pin.
Here are a couple of super simple meal ideas…
Porridge made with oats and almond milk, and topped with pomegranate seeds and manuka honey… delicious and so simple.
Pomegranate and apple salad - rainbow chard, apple, cucumber, parsley, pomegranate seeds, drizzled with a dressing of pomegranate vinegar, olive oil and pomegranate molasses for extra tangy sweet goodness.
Pomegranate Vinegar. Great in a salad dressing, or make it into a fat-loss drink if you’re feeling brave. Click here to buy this
Pomegranate Molasses - great in a dressing, or used as a marinade. I also really love to combine this with a bit of oil and coat some diced potatoes, bake in oven and enjoy this sticky, sweet, tasty side dish. Click here to buy this.
Pomegranate seeds, pomegranate vinegar, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice… so many options. You too can get the amazing health and beauty benefits (and taste sensation) of these little jewelled treasures and experience the glow-up 😊
L x
How do you eat pomegranates, on their own or do you add them to dishes/meals? What are some of your favourite pomegranate recipes? Let me know in the comments below.