Can You Eat Whole Pomegranate Seeds?

Can you eat whole pomegranate seeds?

By Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)

Page last updated: 02/25/2023 | Next review date: 02/25/2025

Author bio

Dr Anny March PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology.

Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:

Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)

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In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat whole pomegranate seeds?” and discuss its health benefits?

Can you eat whole pomegranate seeds?

Yes, you can eat whole pomegranate seeds. When it comes to eating the fruit, you should consume the seeds and the liquids that surround them (known as arils). Salads are the most usual place to find the arils. To add a little more flavor, you may also sprinkle them on top of a bowl of yogurt.

Pomegranate seeds are rich sources of various fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, flavonoids, anthocyanins and have diverse advantageous properties to health including in vivo anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities (1).

In the United States of America, California produces more than 90% of the pomegranates. Total production in the USA was about 400 tons in 2017 (2).

Is Pomegranate Juice Healthy, Is Pomegranate Extract an Option?

Generally speaking, pomegranate juice is excellent for you, but you should always check the label first. A pure version of the juice is preferable to one that has been blended with other juices or added sugar, which may diminish the health advantages and transform the juice into a sweet beverage.

Studies showed that the consumption of pomegranate juice for 8 weeks was effective in reducing total cholesterol by 5.43% and LDL cholesterol by 9.24% (1).

As with pomegranate juice, pomegranate extract is excellent for you for the same reasons. Because it’s a concentrated form of the juice, the benefits are more concentrated. pomegranate extract may be purchased either as a beverage or as a dietary supplement. Extracts of pomegranate contain many phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant activity (1).

It’s important to remember that taking pomegranate juice or extract removes the bulk of the fiber. As a consequence, none of these dishes is as full as a pomegranate straight off the tree. Pomegranate juice is obtained by pressing the arils of the fruit and is composed mainly by water, sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), organic acids (malic, citric, tartaric), minerals and amino acids (3).

What Can You Make at Home Using Pomegranates?

Pomegranates are often used as a garnish or as an ingredient in a recipe. But if they’re consumed in seed form, they may be the star of the show. Alternatively, they might be used to make a juice, sauce, or dip. Pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, and pomegranate seeds may be used in a variety of dishes.

Roasted Pomegranate Carrots
Snacks such as a smoothie or a smoothie bowl
Pomegranate Duck Chia Seed Pudding with Champagne Punch

Is it Possible to Lose Weight by Eating Pomegranates?

Increasing your pomegranate consumption significantly does not guarantee that you will lose weight overnight. A tiny number of studies have shown that pomegranates may help people lose weight, however, these studies were either too small or too insignificant to make any firm conclusions.

That being said, pomegranates are an excellent source of fiber, which has been linked to feelings of satiety and weight reduction. As a consequence, you may eat less and therefore lose weight. When consumed in place of sweets or dessert, they might be particularly effective for weight reduction. Several epidemiological studies show an inverse relationship between dietary fiber intake and weight loss. Fibers have the ability to displace the energy from other nutrients by adding bulk and weight to the meal. Likewise, fiber-rich diets achieved through fiber incorporation into meals result in low energy density compared with high-fat diets (6).

Many studies suggest the beneficial effect of pomegranate by losing weight. Due to the presence of conjugated fatty acids, pomegranate seeds are a useful supplement in protecting against obesity and insulin resistance. Catalpic acid is a conjugated linolenic acid found primarily in the pomegranate seeds and its consumption may increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and decrease triacylglycerol levels in plasma, as shown in studies (4).

How to Pick and Store the Best Pomegranates

Choose a pomegranate that has a rich crimson hue and seems to be heavier than its size. Gently scrape the skin that is shiny and free of blemishes. It’s probably ripe if it’s pliable and simple to scratch. The shape of the fruit should be squared off. Pomegranates with this form indicate that the seeds within are at their ripest.

Keep the pomegranate out of direct sunlight once you get it home. It’s better to store it somewhere cold and dry. Storage in the refrigerator is also an option, but only for up to two months.

Studies reported that pomegranates can be stored at 0 or 4.5°C and 80–85% relative humidity for up to 7 months, but other studies recommended 0°C and 90% relative humidity to keep pomegranates in good condition for up to 4 months (7).

Keep the arils or juice in the refrigerator for up to five days after you remove the peel. The arils may be stored in the freezer for up to a year if you aren’t ready to consume them yet.

Pomegranates May Have Health Benefits?

The pomegranate, in different forms, has been shown to provide the following health benefits (1,4,5):

To prevent heart disease, it is beneficial. Pomegranates may help decrease cholesterol levels, which in turn may reduce the risk of heart disease, according to some studies.
Inflammation-fighting qualities Many prevalent illnesses, including cancer and diabetes, may be protected by the fruit’s high vitamin C concentration, which may have anti-inflammatory characteristics.
Blood pressure should be reduced Pomegranate antioxidants may help decrease high blood pressure, which is good for the heart, arteries, and brain.
Erectile dysfunction treatment (ED) Nearly half of the males in one research reported improved erections after consuming 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily (5).
Certain cancers, such as prostate cancer, may be prevented. Pomegranate juice may be able to prevent the spread of prostate cancer cells, according to a few modest studies.

Research is required to establish the various health advantages that pomegranates are said to have.

What’s the Healthiest Way to Eat a Pomegranate?

This fruit isn’t going to be anything you want to eat, either. Because the arils are embedded in the skin, you’ll need a scalpel. Pomegranates may be messy, so use gloves and an apron before you get started since they can quickly ruin your clothing. Remove the fruit’s crown end, the part that protrudes the most from the other end.

After that, score the pomegranate’s skin three or four times so that it may be broken into tiny pieces with relative ease. Using your hands, gently peel away the rind of the fruit from each piece of fruit.

The hulls will fall to the bottom of the container. Remove the skin from the fruit, which should be floating at the top, then strain the remainder of the fruit until you have only the arils.

However, excessive ingestion of pomegranate seed may have negative effects on health. Studies indicated that consumption of whole fruit extracts have been shown to cause congestion of internal organs and elevated creatinine in vivo. Allergic reactions from eating the fruit were also reported, as well as esophageal problems from chronic consumption of roughly ground pomegranate seeds (5).

To learn more about eating whole pomegranate seeds click here