Food spotlight: the Pomegranate

Pomegranates, native to the Himalayas, are a somewhat mysterious fruit that has been enjoyed all over the world for centuries. Some scholars suggest that it was the pomegranate, not than the apple, that was the forbidden fruit Even ate in the Garden of Eden.

The fruit itself has red skin with a distinctive “crown” and loaded with clusters of red, sweet, juicy arils (seeds covered in flesh). It is the arils that are eaten whole or pressed for their juices. The seeds have also been pressed to make a rich, red dye. Pomegranate seeds can be added to smoothies, puddings, salads, dressings and marinades, side dishes (like Brussel sprouts!), or even ice cream.

Pomegranates are popular not only for their sweet taste but for their healthy nutrient profile and subsequent health benefits. They are low in calories, have no fat, and are loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, fiber, antioxidants and polyphenols. Pomegranates may be protective because of their ability to limit oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, a key step in the promotion of cancer and other chronic disease. In a recent review, pomegranates have been positively linked with anti-diabetic activity as a result of these protective mechanisms. Pomegranate consumption has been also linked with cardiovascular health by improving blood flow and decreasing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol formation, and with the slowing of prostate cancer advancement. More research, however, is needed to confirm these protective links.

For dessert or for your special valentine try making this antioxidant loaded Dark Chocolate and Pomegranate Bark from the New York Times.

Tis the season... for your sweet tooth

The New York Times has many indulgent recipes

It's here.  Holiday season.  We now have the Starbucks red cups (yayyyy!!), crowds making crossing 5th Avenue nearly impossible, tourists asking where Rockefeller Center is, and the release of Justin Beiber's Christmas Album.

I love this time of year.  It just smells good.  The chestnuts roasting outside, the cinnamon in drinks, the nutmeg in pies, the warm pumpkin glazes poured over pancakes, baked apple crisps... 

As great as the holidays are- this time of year can be treacherous for people's diets.  (Who can resist we have temptations from October 31 through December 31!!!).

Delicious blueberry pie can have close to 400 calories!

This time of year creates havoc on people's diets- from holiday parties and social events, where people eat mindlessly.  Having, just a piece or two of everything adds up!!  Cakes on average have 225 calories and 10 grams of fat per slice!  Cookies are not really any better- ranging from 50- 500 calories per cookie.  (by the way- did you know that a jumbo cookie equals TEN appropriately sized cookies!!!)

superfood me

I remember, in college, I "learned" that blueberries support short-term memory, so I decided to eat as much of them as possible. Seriously.  While studying for organic chemistry, I ate.... pints of blueberries (and Alpine's frozen yogurt- but that's a story for another time).  I did well in that class, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I was studying than with the blueberry consumption while studying. 


I wasn't totally wrong about the blueberries though... there are some fantastic components in certain plants called phytochemicals (phyto= plant; chemical= chemical).  These are the compounds that give food color and taste (and other characteristics) and promote biological activity in the body beyond their simple nutritional benefits.  (Meaning- these foods do more than provide a source of vitamins and minerals and calories!)  There are tens of thousands of these that are known to exist, but just a small amount have been analyzed with research.  This poses a slight problem because often we see products containing some of these elements that manufacturers will label as 'preventing cancer' or 'sharpening brain function' in order to promote sales.  You must be aware that many claims about "superfoods" are not yet based on scientific evidence; no single food has magical health benefits! (Sorry- acai berry diet devotees!)  What we can say with reasonable certainty though is that diets rich in plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts) help lower blood pressure and risk for inflammation.