POM WONDERFUL

POMEGRANATES seem to be one of those foods that has EXPLODED lately so I decided to look into WHY???

As it turns out Indian's have been using pomegranate extensively for medicinal purposes for THOUSANDS OF YEARS! They believe the rind and bark of the fruit can cure diarrhea, and other intestinal ailments. The seeds and juice are thought to sooth the throat and heel the heart. The juices are also mixed into salves that stop nose bleeds, gum bleeds, and tone skin. Pomegranate juice has even been used as EYE DROPS believed to slow the development of cataracts.

WOW, so I guess the POMEGRANATE MARTINI wasn't the ORIGIN of the Pomegranate after all???

Today the pomegranate is most well known as a STRONG ANTIOXIDANT meaning that it scavenges the body killing free radicals that cause CANCER. Don't believe it? One study inserted extracts from a pomegranate into a test tube containing human breast cancer cells and found that the pomegranate actually INHIBITED the growth of the cancerous cells. Other preliminary research has shown pomegranate juice to decrease the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure. Pomegranate seeds are also a great dietary source of VITAMINS and FIBER.

My FAVORITE pomegranate product: Pre packaged FRESH pomegranate seeds!

(http://www.pomwonderful.com/)

I love having a container of these in my fridge to sprinkle on my salads, in my morning yogurt, or even just to eat plain.

Try my favorite salad: Romaine and baby spinach with roasted pecans, pomegranate seeds, diced celery, and crumbled cheese (great with goat or feta). You barely even need dressing as the seeds are SO flavorful (drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil if desired).