Pomegranate, Revered Since Antiquity
A fruit with a special place in many cultures and religions.
Since ancient t imes, I, the esteemed pomegranate ( Punica granatum), have been regarded with reverence as a symbol of your human central beliefs. In many cultures and virtually every religion, I have come to represent life and death, fertility and marriage, beauty and abundance. Why, you may ask? It all has to do with my seeds (my name means ‘apple with many seeds’), while my orb shape
and crown of sepals take on a different meaning all together.
Buddhists revere me as one of the three blessed fruit (the other two are peach and citrus); in some Hindu traditions I’m a symbol of prosperity and fertility, while for Muslims I’m a symbol of beauty.
As a romantic symbol I have featured in sonnets and literature, as wel l as Renaissance pai nt i ngs. Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo di Vinci placed me in the hands of both the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. They also depicted me bursting open, which happens when I am overripe, to signify the death and suf fering of Jesus, as well as his resurrection and eternal life.
In the Middle Ages, my resemblance to an imperial orb – the Chr ist ian symbol of authority – made me a symbol of power. The artist Albrecht Dürer painted several portraits of the Emperor Maximi lian I (archduke of Austria, German king and Holy Roman emperor) holding me. I have also appeared in the decorative patterns of rich fabrics and carpets throughout Europe since the 15th century.
And when my skins are cooked, I yield a pitch-black ink which was used to dye Oriental carpets.
The Ancient Greeks regarded me as a culinary symbol of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, desire and procreation. Greek mythology also credits the goddess with planting my very first tree. Understandably, I have been seen as an aphrodisiac and was often a key ingredient in love potions.
Today, I am enjoyed, not for my powers of love, but as a superfood. Packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, f ibre and powerful plant compounds, I am touted for having a wide-range of health benefits, helpful in lowering the risk of serious illnesses and reducing muscle loss. You see, I’m rich in a molecule called ellagic acid. When it reaches your gut, it is transformed by microbes into a substance called urolithin A, which enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of ageing.
Native to Iran, Afghanistan, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, I grow in hot, dry climates. I don’t like humidity but unlike many of my peers, I can tolerate frost and drought. So, I can grow just about anywhere. My tree is a deciduous shrub that grows up to five metres and bears as many as 200 of me.
And I don’t mind pointing out my other charm. My tree is so pleasing
I HAVE BEEN SEEN AS AN APHRODISIAC AND WAS OFTEN A KEY INGREDIENT IN LOVE POTIONS
to the eye that I’m often planted as an ornamental shrub because of my exquisite scarlet- coral f lowers, crepe-like petals and autumn foliage.
I grow between 5-12 centimetres in diameter and comprise up to 1000 closely packed red grains, or arils, inside a hard shell. My arils contain a seed surrounded by an edible juicy pulp and I’m sometimes referred to as a ‘false berry’, which is very misleading, to say the least!
To discover if I am ready to be picked from my tree, rap on my shell with your knuckles and if you hear a metallic sound, then I’m ripe. Once I’m separated from my tree, I stop ripening, but don’t worry, my flavour and juiciness will improve while I’m in storage.
I keep in ambient temperatures for between one and two months, and for several months if refrigerated. My arils are sometimes scooped out and vacuum packed, which can last for six months.
There are several varieties of me, but the fruit you humans enjoy most have a balance of sugar and acidity, mixed with soft seeds. Eaten with a teaspoon straight from my shell makes a lovely treat, but can be a rather messy – many an outfit has suffered permanent stains from my deep red juice. But there are easier ways to separate my seeds from my shell (see above).
My sweet-tart flavour works wonders in salads and my vibrant colouring makes me perfect as a garnish. I can also be juiced, turned into molasses and added to champagne and cider to give a pop of colour and splash of flavour.