CHAPTER 4
Fat Flush Fruits
Some things you have to do every day. Eating seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn’t going to get the job done.
–JIM ROHN
The Fat Flush approach to fruits is sure to be controversial. Sure, fruits are Mother Nature’s candy and provide a healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth while filling up on Fat Flush vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fiber. But the sugar found in fruits—fructose—when taken in excess has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, high triglycerides and uric acid, GI problems, and accelerated aging. So the fruits that have received the Fat Flush seal of approval are the lowest in fructose and need to be enjoyed in designated quantities (1 cup berries, 1 small apple, 10 cherries, ½ banana, and so on) so you don’t overdo too much of a good thing.
Now that we have that nutritional bombshell out of the way, let’s talk about all the wonderful benefits fruits bestow. Because they contain a high percentage of water, fruits help hydrate the body, while, at the same time, their impressive levels of potassium and magnesium work to wring excess water weight from body tissues. Cellulose, the fibrous matter in fruits, provides smooth passage for food in the digestive tract and eases bowel action. This laxative effect is enhanced by the sugar and organic acids in fruit.
Many fruits contain phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Fruits are also famous for their antioxidants, which slow down oxidation and prevent cell and tissue damage. Countless studies have shown that eating a variety of fruits helps control blood pressure; prevent heart attacks, strokes, and cancer; and even maintain eye health.
Fruits have what it takes to maintain the body’s acid-alkaline balance. In fact, the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in fruits are extremely beneficial in normalizing all the body’s processes. What researchers have discovered is that while fruits contain a number of nutritious elements, it is the combined power of all the nutrients working together that gives fruits their disease-fighting abilities. Fat Flush fruits are a must for a healthy, balanced diet. It’s easy to fit them into most any meal, especially your morning smoothies—or save them for snack time since they are best digested on an empty stomach.
APPLES
Whether its peel is red, yellow, or green, few things are as refreshing as the crisp, white flesh of an apple. From Adam and Eve to Johnny Appleseed, apples have played an important part in history and mythology. Originally from eastern Europe and Asia, the apple is one of the oldest cultivated fruits. Certain varieties of apples have been grown for at least 2,000 years, and over the centuries, people have developed more than 7,000 varieties of apple.
From the crisp, aromatic Braeburn to the green tang of a Granny Smith, apples contain a number of components, namely fiber and flavonoids, that lower cholesterol, improve bowel function, and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and asthma! The research on apples is extensive and varied. The National Cancer Institute reported that flavonoids, a type of antioxidant found in apples, may reduce the risk of lung cancer by up to 50 percent. A group of researchers at the University of California at Davis found that two apples a day may decrease oxidation of LDL cholesterol by up to 34 percent. And quercetin, a potent flavonoid found in apple peel, has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack by 32 percent.
Offering both soluble and insoluble fiber, apples are known for aiding digestion and promoting weight loss. Even though they are rich in natural sugar, apples do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. The nutritional makeup of the apple prevents the body from pumping out too much insulin. In addition, apples contain a natural fibrous chemical called pectin, which limits the amount of fat absorbed by your cells. Pectin also grabs toxins, such as the heavy metals lead and mercury, and escorts them out of the body. Studies have shown that because of their pectin, green apples are the best choice for cleansing the liver.
Pectin prevails over the appetite, too. Researchers at Texas’s Brooke Army Medical Center studied the impact of pectin on hunger by feeding orange juice to a group of 74 people. Half the people got plain orange juice, and half got juice with added pectin. People who received the pectin-laced juice reported having little sense of hunger for four hours, while the people who drank regular orange juice complained of hunger much sooner. The researchers concluded that pectin may slow digestion, keeping food in the stomach longer. So whether you grab an apple as a snack or serve it as a delicious dessert, you’ll be cleansing your body and trimming your waistline at the same time.
Recommended Usage
An apple a day.
Just the Facts
♦ While Washington is famous for its apple orchards, apples are grown in almost every state in the United States.
♦ The average American eats about 120 apples every year—a far cry from an apple a day!
♦ Did you ever wonder why it’s customary to give an apple to a teacher? This practice began when public school teachers were paid in food or goods, rather than money.
♦ Researchers at Yale University discovered that some people lowered their blood pressure just by smelling the pleasant scent of spiced apples.
Boost the Benefits
♦ When you’re buying apples, select fruit that is firm, richly colored, and free of soft spots.
♦ In the Northern Hemisphere, apple season begins at the end of summer and lasts until early winter. When you buy apples at other times of the year, they have been imported from the Southern Hemisphere.
♦ Skip the apple juice and go for the whole apple instead. It provides more nutrition and fiber than the juice.
♦ To prevent further ripening, store apples in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to six weeks, but it’s a good idea to check them regularly and remove any apples that begin to decay before they affect the others.
♦ Protect apple slices from oxidation and discoloration by dipping them into a solution of one part lemon juice and three parts water.
Be a Fat Flush Cook
♦ An apple is the perfect portable snack. Experiment with different varieties throughout the year.
♦ The tarter the apple, the better it maintains its texture during cooking.
♦ Add diced apples to tossed green salads if your digestion can tolerate both fruits and veggies at the same time.
♦ Simmer a chopped apple in broth with red cabbage or combine a Granny Smith in your butternut squash soup.
THINK TWICE!
IT’S BEEN SAID . . .
SANDY M., CALIFORNIA
KING SOLOMON, THE BIBLE
BANANAS
Bananas are probably the most popular fruit on the planet. Very few natural foods come off the tree already packaged for busy people on the go! The banana is one of the oldest cultivated plants, used for millennia as a remedy for everything from upset stomach to constipation, dysentery, PMS, hemorrhoids, warts, and many other maladies.
Technically, bananas are a berry. They do contain seeds, but the seeds are so small they go unnoticed. Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium—two nutrients known to lower your risk for heart attack and stroke, as well as preventing muscle cramps. Potassium helps lower blood pressure. One banana contains 467 milligrams of potassium, which is about 9 percent of the recommended daily allowance.
In terms of sugar, the beloved banana is a bit toward the high end. A cup of banana slices (one largish banana) contains about 18 grams of sugar, compared with 13 grams for apples and 8 grams for strawberries. This is why bananas are not allowed on phase 1 of my New Fat Flush Plan. However, this doesn’t mean bananas in moderation are not a good part of a lifestyle plan, once your metabolism is optimized.
Bananas are high in several antioxidants, which reduce free-radical damage and lower your risk for most chronic diseases, including cancer. They contain significant flavonoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and alpha-and beta-carotenes, as well as being a great source of vitamin C, B6, manganese, copper, iron, L-tryptophan, choline, and fiber. L-tryptophan is an amino acid that gets converted to 5-HTP in your brain, which in turn is converted to serotonin and melatonin. So a banana at bedtime may help you sleep!
The flavonoids are good for your eyes. The choline (12 milligrams per banana) has abundant benefits throughout your body, including reducing abdominal fat storage.
The starch in bananas deserves special mention. Bananas—especially unripe bananas—contain a special type of “resistant starch” that has fabulous benefits for your health. Fructooligosaccharides (or FOS) are fibers that resist digestion in your small intestine and slowly ferment in your large intestine. These special starches act as prebiotics for feeding the friendly bacteria. They also bulk up your stools, won’t make you gassy, and aren’t likely to trigger blood sugar spikes like so many other starches. Bananas also contain pectin, which is beneficial for digestion and detoxification.
Research shows that FOS (resistant starch) improves insulin regulation and blood glucose levels and slows stomach emptying, which improves satiety. FOS is also known to increase your body’s absorption of calcium, which is good news for your bones.
If you’re going to eat bananas, go for the green! Unripe bananas have much higher FOS levels than ripe ones because the starch is converted into sugar during ripening. Before ripening, a banana is almost entirely starch, making up 70 to 80 percent by weight—and a large part of this is resistant starch. The FOS in green bananas is why they’ve been used for centuries to treat diarrhea. By the way, the idea that bananas cause constipation is a myth. A 2011 study concluded that not only do bananas not cause constipation, but they increase beneficial Bifidobacteria in your gut. Participants consuming bananas reported reduced digestive complaints including bloating and stomach pain.
A few studies have revealed even more interesting health benefits. A Swedish study found that women who ate bananas two to three times per week were 33 percent less likely to develop kidney disease. Another study found that children who ate one banana daily showed 34 percent less risk for asthma. Yet another study showed that endurance cyclists who ate half a banana every 15 minutes during a 3-hour race maintained energy levels equal to those of cyclists who drank sports drinks.
So although bananas are notoriously high in sugar, they also contain a boatload of valuable nutrients. The sugar issue is somewhat mitigated by the presence of FOS, which you can increase by eating bananas that are less ripe.
Recommended Usage
♦ Bananas are allowed in phase 2 of my New Fat Flush Plan.
♦ Slice up bananas and keep them in the freezer for a quick addition to your smoothies.
Just the Facts
♦ Along with plantains, the banana plant belongs to the Musaceae family and grows to an impressive 10 to 26 feet. Today, bananas grow in most tropical and subtropical zones, with the main commercial producers being Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Brazil.
♦ Bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago before being transported by early explorers to India and the Philippines.
♦ Bananas contain antihistamines; rubbing an insect bite or hives with the inside of a banana peel may relieve itching. It is said that a wart can be cured by taping a piece of banana peel against it.
♦ Do bananas make you feel good? If so, it might be because of the neuro-transmitters they contain—norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
♦ The peel and pulp of fully ripe bananas have antifungal and antibiotic properties; the antibiotic is effective against Mycobacteria.
Boost the Benefits
♦ Look for organic bananas. Many conventional banana plantations utilize chemical fertilizers and aerial spraying of pesticides.
♦ Green bananas take longer to ripen than those with more yellow or a few brown spots. If you want your green bananas to ripen, leave them at room temperature, because putting them in the fridge will irreversibly disrupt the ripening process.
♦ Ripe bananas that you don’t plan to consume for a few days can be stored in the refrigerator. The peel will darken but the flesh will not be affected.
♦ You can freeze bananas whole, sliced, or as a puree. Frozen bananas will keep for a couple of months.
THINK TWICE!
Fat Flush Fun
♦ Green banana flour is now being used to make gluten-free pasta.
♦ The things for which banana peels have been put to use are numerous—everything from relieving hemorrhoids to polishing silverware, shining leather shoes, removing splinters, whitening teeth, and perking up the leaves of lackluster house plants. Did you know that banana peels can be used to make vinegar?
♦ A fungicide in the peel and pulp of green bananas is active against a fungus that afflicts tomato plants.
♦ According to Medical News Today, minced banana peels performed better than anything else tested for water purification.
♦ There is a superstition that bananas are “unlucky” aboard fishing boats and will bring all sorts of misfortune such as preventing the fish from biting, causing the boat to sink, harboring poisonous spiders, or giving off methane gas and thereby killing the crew. To this day, many seafaring captains prohibit bringing bananas aboard their ships. These superstitions appear to have originated on the banana boats of the Caribbean trade of the 1700s.
BERRIES
While there are many types of berries—from smooth-skinned varieties to those with fleshy segments—I am focusing on three Fat Flush favorites: raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Raspberries can be traced back to prehistoric times, strawberries have grown wild around the world for thousands of years, and blueberries are native to North America.
Filled with the antioxidant ellagic acid, raspberries help prevent damage to cell membranes by neutralizing free radicals. Raspberries also contain flavonoids, the substances that give them their rich red color. These phytonutrients prevent overgrowth of bacteria and fungi, including Candida albicans—a factor in yeast infections and those pesky carb cravings. Brimming with manganese, vitamin C, a number of B vitamins, and dietary fiber, raspberries benefit the liver by cleansing the blood.
Strawberries reign supreme as the most popular berry in America. They contain the most vitamin C of any berry and plenty of cancer-protective ellagic acid. Phytonutrients called anthocyanins give strawberries their inviting red color while packing a potent fat-flushing punch by breaking down excess toxins in the liver.
As researchers at Tufts University discovered, blueberries provide more antioxidants—including the powerful cholesterol fighter resveratrol—than most other common fruits or vegetables. They contain significant amounts of both antibacterial and antiviral compounds, and they may also protect against heart disease and cancer. High in fiber, blueberries also contain tannins, which serve to cleanse the digestive system. And they promote a healthy urinary tract by preventing bacterial growth.
All berries are bursting with vitamin C, which stimulates production of carnitine, an amino acid that boosts metabolism. In addition, berries contain natural fructose, which is satisfying to a sweet tooth. Researchers have also found that the insoluble fiber in berries prevents their total calories from being absorbed, making them a tasty Fat Flush treat!
Recommended Usage
Add a handful of berries to your daily diet.
Just the Facts
♦ Across the United States, fresh blueberries are available for nearly eight months of the year.
♦ If all the blueberries grown annually in North America were spread out in a single layer, they would cover a four-lane highway stretching from New York to Chicago.
♦ Until the 1800s, strawberries remained a luxury food, found only in the kitchens of the wealthy.
♦ Strawberries are not considered a “true” berry, because they grow from the base of the plant rather than from a flower ovary.
♦ Currently, the strawberry is the most popular berry in the world, with blueberries coming in a close second.
♦ If a raspberry’s green “cap” is intact, the berry is immature and will never become sweet.
Boost the Benefits
♦ When you’re buying berries, look for plump, firm fruits with a deep, shiny color. Shake the container to see if the berries move freely. If not, the berries may be soft, damaged, or moldy.
♦ Keep in mind that moisture causes berries to decay. Stay away from berry containers that are stained or wet.
♦ When purchasing frozen berries, shake the bag gently to check for freely moving berries. If the fruit seems clumped together, the bag may have been thawed and refrozen. Properly handled, frozen berries should keep for about a year.
♦ Always check berries before storing and remove any damaged berries to prevent the spread of mold.
♦ Berries may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for about three to five days. However, for optimal health benefits and flavor, plan to serve berries within a day or two after purchasing them.
♦ Fresh berries—especially raspberries—are very fragile and should be washed briefly and carefully and then gently patted dry. To preserve the texture and flavor of strawberries, wash them before you remove their caps.
♦ You’ll notice the fullest flavor if you eat fresh berries at room temperature.
Be a Fat Flush Cook
♦ Add color and flavor to a mixed green salad by tossing in some sliced strawberries.
♦ A few ripe raspberries make a beautiful (and delicious) garnish for a salad or dessert.
♦ Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and plain yogurt in a wine glass to make a parfait dessert.
♦ Fresh or frozen berries make a perfect addition to a Fat Flush whey protein smoothie.
♦ A few luscious frozen strawberries make a refreshing and revitalizing summer snack.
PEACHES
Originally from China, peaches have captivated Americans since well before Thomas Jefferson planted 160 peach trees in his orchard. Today, nearly 300 varieties of this succulent fruit thrive in warm climates around the world.
There are two categories of peaches: clingstone and freestone. They are differentiated by how easily the fruit pulls away from the pit. With freestones, the pit comes away easily, but with cling peaches, separating the pit is more of a challenge.
Peaches are high in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, which promote beautiful, ageless skin, healthy vision, and a strong immune system. This fuzzy fruit is also a good source of potassium, fiber, and beta cryptothanxin, a phytonutrient recognized for preventing heart disease. And while peaches are already known to prevent certain types of cancer, new varieties of the fruit are being developed that will yield even higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Peaches have both a diuretic and a laxative effect and help stimulate digestive juices. This nutritious Fat Flush fruit also contains boron, known to pump up estrogen levels in postmenopausal women, stimulate the brain, and help prevent osteoporosis. So feel free to indulge in a juicy ripe peach whenever you like. It only tastes sinful.
Recommended Usage
Three or four peaches per week.
Just the Facts
♦ Usually, freestone peaches are sold fresh, while clingstones are canned, frozen, and preserved.
♦ In ancient China, people believed that the peach conferred immortality on those who ate it. Today, the peach remains a symbol of hope and longevity.
♦ To pit a peach easily, slice it horizontally all the way around and then twist the halves apart.
♦ Because of consumer demand, peaches aren’t as fuzzy as they used to be. After being picked, most peaches are mechanically brushed to get rid of some of the fuzz.
Boost the Benefits
♦ When you’re shopping for peaches, go for unblemished fruit that is free of bruises and that has a warm, fragrant aroma.
♦ Contrary to popular belief, the red blush on peaches is not a measure of ripeness. Instead, look for peaches with a creamy or golden undercolor and pass on peaches with a greenish color. They were picked before they matured and will never ripen.
♦ To test for ripeness, squeeze a peach gently. A peach is prime when it gives to slight pressure and smells sweet.
♦ If you need to ripen peaches, store them in a loosely closed brown bag at room temperature. Never store fresh peaches in plastic bags. This changes their flavor and texture.
♦ You can store ripe peaches in the crisper bin of your refrigerator for a few days, but they may lose some of their flavor. Whenever possible, bring them to room temperature before serving.
♦ Keep in mind that most of a peach’s vitamins are in the peel, so eat the whole peach, fuzz and all, whenever possible.
Be a Fat Flush Cook
♦ Try poaching peaches and serving them as a simple dessert.
♦ Add peach chunks to a skewer of meat and vegetables for grilling.
♦ Pop some peach slices into a blender with some cranberry juice, whey protein, and spices for a satisfying breakfast smoothie.
♦ Peaches may be baked, grilled, or broiled and served along with your favorite meat or fish dinner.
♦ For a quick and easy dessert, slice a fresh peach and then top it with a dollop of plain yogurt and a sprinkling of cinnamon and ground flax seed.
THINK TWICE!
PINEAPPLE
What if there were a food that gave you radiant skin and tons of energy while at the same time soothing joint pain and busting up cellulite? That’s exactly what you get from pineapple! This big, spiny-looking fruit has been a coveted part of traditional Hawaiian medicine for generations, used to treat indigestion, joint pain, allergies, and much more.
Second only to bananas as America’s favorite tropical fruit, pineapple boasts a lovely array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, plus one uniquely powerful player: bromelain. Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme with potent anti-inflammatory effects and tremendous healing power. The enzyme offers benefits for a large number of diseases, and pineapple is our richest natural source—especially the stem and core.
Bromelain calms the pain and swelling of arthritis, reduces asthma and sinus symptoms, and quiets inflammatory bowel disease. It soothes the inflamed tissues of sprained ankles and tendonitis and helps heal ACL tears. In a 2014 study, bromelain was found to relieve pain among osteoarthritis sufferers by 50 to 60 percent. Bromelain also reduces phlegm and mucus buildup, which helps explain its benefits for respiratory conditions. In fact, bromelain helps modulate your entire immune system, making the enzyme beneficial for allergies and autoimmune issues as well. It also acts as an anticoagulant.
Bromelain has an additional feature that will excite anyone fighting the fat battle: it boosts fat metabolism and helps melt away cellulite. Bromelain dissolves waste and toxins trapped inside fat cells, allowing your lymph system to flush them away. This miracle enzyme also neutralizes bradykinins—polypeptides that promote fat storage on your hips and thighs.
Adding to all of this, bromelain has anticancer benefits. A 2014 study showed that it prompts the self-destruction of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cells, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Bromelain has shown similar defenses against cancers of the mouth, throat, breast, colon, and lung.
Pineapples have benefits beyond bromelain. They’re brimming with vitamin C, which is a great addition in the anticellulite department, as it helps rebuild collagen. Collagen is what gives your skin structure, and its breakdown is responsible, at least in part, for cellulite’s lumpy appearance. Collagen is also essential for healthy organ tissues, bones, and blood vessels. One cup of fresh pineapple has 131 percent of the U.S. RDA for immune-boosting vitamin C.
You’ll also find significant amounts of copper (which aids the formation of healthy red blood cells), vitamins B1 and B6, folate, pantothenic acid, antioxidants, and beta-carotene. Manganese is pineapple’s most prominent mineral, with a single serving delivering over 70 percent of your RDA. Manganese helps build superoxide dismutase, a powerful free-radical scavenger. When it comes to this magical fruit, what’s not to love?
Recommended Usage
♦ Due to pineapple’s loftier sugar content, eat it in moderation. You’ll take less of a sugar hit eating the whole fruit as opposed to drinking the juice, as the fiber will slow down absorption. If you do juice pineapple, cut its juice with low-sugar vegetable juices, like cucumber and celery.
♦ Eat pineapple on an empty stomach to take full advantage of its antiinflammatory properties. However, if you’re needing digestive help, then take it with food.
Just the Facts
♦ Pineapple did not originate in Hawaii but rather in Paraguay. Pineapple was spread from its native habitat by local Indians who carried it up through the South and Central Americas and to the West Indies. Then in the late 1400s, European explorers reportedly discovered pineapples on the Caribbean island known as Guadalupe.
♦ It is also reported that Columbus brought pineapples to Spain from the Americas in 1493, at the same time that European sailors spread it to the rest of the world by carrying it on ships in order to protect themselves from scurvy.
♦ The pineapple got its name in the seventeenth century due to its similarity in appearance to pine cones.
♦ The bulk of the world’s pineapples now come from Southeast Asia, with Thailand being the largest producer.
Boost the Benefits
♦ Select a pineapple that’s firm, heavy for its size, and devoid of bruising or soft spots. Choose one with a fragrant, sweet smell at the stem end and avoid any that have a musty, sour, or fermented smell.
♦ The healthiest part of the pineapple is its core, which contains most of the bromelain. The flesh is also nutritious, but it doesn’t have the high bromelain content. The riper the fruit, the softer the core will be. Because of its toughness, the pineapple’s core is easiest to consume juiced or blended into your smoothie.
♦ Although it does soften a little, pineapple stops ripening once it is picked; therefore, whole or cut pineapple should be stored in your fridge. Pineapple will keep for a couple of days on the counter or up to nine days in the fridge if properly wrapped. Freezing pineapple is OK from a nutritional standpoint, but freezing does affect its flavor.
Fat Flush in Action
♦ Prepare fresh pineapple by first placing your fruit on a large cutting board. Chop off the top and bottom ends using a large, sharp knife. Then trim off the rind and slice your fruit into rings.
♦ The area nearest the base of the fruit has more sugar, a sweeter taste, and a more tender texture.
♦ Pineapple is a phase 2 fruit. It pairs nicely with banana, mango, avocado, and coconut—and even a jalapeño for a zippy tropical fruit salsa.
♦ Pineapple chopped with fennel and cashews makes a lovely side dish for chicken.
♦ Replace sugar or liquid sweeteners with pineapple juice when making your own granola or baked goods.
THINK TWICE!
Fat Flush Fun
♦ The pineapple’s botanical name is Ananas comosus, belonging to the Bromeliaceae family.
♦ A pineapple is actually a composite of 100 to 200 coalesced “fruitlets” fused together at the crown of a fruit-bearing tree. Each fruitlet can be identified by an “eye”—the eyes are those prickly projections on the surface of a pineapple.
♦ Pineapple leaves are used in some parts of the world for wallpaper and ceiling insulation.
♦ You might grow your own pineapple plant at home! Just twist off the crown of a store-bought pineapple, dry it for a few days, and then plant it. Now you’ll have to be patient . . . it takes two years for the plant to produce a single pineapple. But in the wild, pineapple plants can produce fruit for as long as 50 years.
POMEGRANATE
Pomegranate is a nutrient-packed fruit that shares many similar health benefits with the noble cranberry. Pomegranates have been the focus of a myriad of studies for their abundant health-giving properties, including support for your liver, detoxification, and weight management. A 2016 study found that in just 30 days, pomegranate extract was able to decrease blood glucose and insulin levels, reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, and substantially improve metabolic profiles in overweight and obese individuals.
The slightly six-sided pomegranate is the fruit of the shrub Punica granatum. Botanically, the pomegranate is a berry, but inside it’s like nothing else . . . chambers upon chambers of hundreds of “arils,” the term used for those juicy ruby-red pods you recognize as pomegranate seeds. The seeds are actually inside those tasty pods. A single pomegranate can hold more than 600 arils! They can be eaten raw or pressed into pomegranate juice. Pomegranates (the peel as well as the arils) contain substantial amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and phosphorous.
Pomegranates contain three types of antioxidant polyphenols: tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid, with the most notable being punicalagins and punicalins. Punicic acid, also known as pomegranate seed oil, is the main fatty acid in the arils and is actually a type of conjugated linoleic acid. This special polyphenol potion offers three times the antioxidant punch of red wine or green tea.
Due to its over-the-top antioxidant action, the pomegranate offers outstanding protection for your heart, even in relatively small quantities—like two to four ounces per day. Science has identified substantial cardiovascular benefits including blood pressure stabilization, less platelet aggregation, and reduced arterial plaque and LDL oxidation. The same anti-inflammatory agents that benefit your heart also benefit the rest of your body, providing relief from arthritis, joint pain, and gastrointestinal maladies including ulcers.
Evidence shows pomegranates can improve memory in the elderly, as well as in anyone experiencing postsurgical memory impairment, and may offer some protection from Alzheimer’s disease—again, stemming from those powerful polyphenols. Punicic acid has been shown to inhibit the spread of cancer, including breast, prostate, and other types. The pomegranate has antibacterial and antiviral effects, helps prevent bone loss, and even shows promise as a natural treatment for erectile dysfunction—which likely explains why the pomegranate has been long touted as an aphrodisiac.
Although pomegranate juice has a powerful array of nutrients, I challenge your inner adventurer to try out the fresh arils, allowing you to take full advantage of the fiber and live phytonutrients as well.
Recommended Usage
♦ There are a number of methods to go about liberating the seeds (arils) from the inside of a pomegranate. The Pomegranate Council recommends this simple three-step process:
– Cut off the crown; then cut the pomegranate into sections.
– Place each section in a bowl of water; then roll out the arils with your fingers (discard everything else).
– Strain out the water and enjoy the arils. Inside each aril is a crunchy fiber-rich seed that is entirely edible.
Just the Facts
♦ Pomegranates have been used in traditional medicine to treat digestive problems, including combating intestinal parasites.
♦ Pomegranate powders and extracts are usually made from pomegranate peel.
♦ In North America, pomegranate season is generally September through December. The fruit grows in hotter, drier parts of the United States such as the Southwest.
♦ The pomegranate was introduced to California by Spanish settlers in 1769. Pomegranate trees can live as long as 300 years—so some of the original plants may still be around today!
♦ Pomegranates are native to the Middle East, and ancient Egyptians were often buried with them. Pomegranate is one of the seven spices (shivat haminim), seven fruits, and grains listed in the Hebrew Bible as native to Israel. The world’s largest pomegranates grow in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
♦ In Hinduism, pomegranates symbolize fertility and prosperity. Pomegranates are incorporated into Persian wedding ceremonies to ensure a joyous future. In Greek mythology, however, pomegranates are a symbol of death . . . poor goddess Persephone was condemned to spend every winter in the underworld after the god Hades tricked her into eating pomegranate seeds.
♦ The Spanish city Granada is named after the Spanish word for pomegranate, granada.
Boost the Benefits
♦ Whole pomegranates can be stored at room temperature for about a week. However, whole pomegranates will last up to two months if wrapped and stored in the refrigerator.
♦ Fresh pomegranate seeds can be refrigerated for up to three days, but frozen they’ll keep for six months. Freeze arils on a tray, in a single layer, and then store in an airtight container. When thawed, they will be a bit shriveled but they do maintain their flavor.
Be a Fat Flush Cook
♦ Use pomegranate seeds for snacking, or sprinkle them over your yogurt, oatmeal, or chia seed pudding. Eat the whole seeds, little pits and all—that’s where the fiber is!
♦ Add pomegranate seeds to salads, brussels sprouts, winter squash, or even quinoa. Add them to anything for a splash of color and a deluge of nutrition.
♦ Make “pomegranate molasses” by simmering down pomegranate juice into a thick syrup and then storing it in your fridge in an airtight glass jar. Now you have a “secret ingredient” for sauces, dressings, and marinades—or just a drizzle of happiness.
♦ How about some pomegranate sorbet?