Pomegranates

I was very lucky this morning as pomegranates were on special at the supermarket, less than half the price! Of course I took advantage and bought a bagful, pomegranates are fantastic! These red jewels taste absolutely delicious! Sweet and tart and juicy, they go with almost anything. I sprinkle them on my muesli, my salad, even my mashed potato!

I used to think that it is a big hassle to actually coax the seeds out of the shell. However, I read a trick somewhere and now it is a breeze! Fill a bowl of water and break the seeds off the shell with your fingers – the seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl while the membranes (those white bits) will float to the top! When I have got all the seeds out I use a tea strainer to scoop up the floating bits. Then drain the water and finished! You can keep these jewels in a container in the fridge where they stay nice and fresh for a few days and are ready to be used anytime you fancy them! Well, unless, like in my case, your daughter really loves them and eats them by the handful!

Pomegranates have been claimed to be a superfood and effective against heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation and some cancers. Reasearch indicates that there may be health benefits, but nothing has been proven yet, most studies are too small.

I am not too fussed about so called superfoods anyway. I mean, it is great to have super seeds, and exotic grains and omnipotent fruits etc. But for most of us, a healthy diet based on seasonal and natural ingredients avoiding processed and sugary fare is probably sufficient. Spending a lot of money on expensive superfoods is a waste if your diet otherwise consists of junk food. No ultra super booster green shot makes a difference if you mostly consume processed salty, fatty and sugary food. No super seed, super fruit or super grain will make up for that. So just stick 90% of the time to healthy natural ingredients – and indulge in super foods when you feel like it (and if you actually like their taste).

As for pomegranates, in my opinion, they just taste great – and if there is a health benefit, even better!