One of the trendiest and most popular juice drinks comes from a fruit that many people don’t know much about – the pomegranate. Since 2003, pomegranates, which are best described as between an orange and a grapefruit in size with a thick reddish skin and many seeds, have become a key ingredient in more than 12 beverages available to consumers today.
Why are they becoming so popular? Because they are rich in vitamins and nutrients. One pomegranate delivers 40 percent of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement, is a good source of folic acid, and packs a powerful punch of antioxidants.
“Throughout history, this richly colored and delicious fruit has been revered as a symbol of fertility, royalty, hope and abundance,” says Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, family physician and director of botanical studies, University of Arizona School of Medicine at Tucson, Ariz. “Ancient Egyptians put them in their tombs, and according to Greek mythology, pomegranates were believed to symbolize fertility because of their many seeds.”
Over the years, the pomegranate’s irresistible appeal and legendary health properties have made it the subject of countless myths, epics and works of art, from Raphael and Cezanne to Homer and Shakespeare. Historical evidence suggests that it’s one of the earliest cultivated fruits. Man first began planting the trees sometime between 4000 B.C.E. and 3000 B.C.E; and some scholars now suggest that it was a pomegranate, not an apple, depicted in the biblical Garden of Eden.
Interested in trying one out for yourself? Natural juice companies have created 100 percent pomegranate juice drinks along with blends to give consumers options when deciding how to enjoy pomegranate juice. A brand you may want to try is Odwalla’s new PomaGrand juices.
“They contain the goodness of pomegranate and wild berry extract, both with anthocyanins -- components that have antioxidant properties,” says Dr. Low Dog. Blending pomegranate juice and wild berry extract – which is a blend of chokeberry, elderberry, blueberry and black currant -- results in a natural harmony of anthocyanins, with antioxidant benefits.
The PomaGrand line offers a mango and berry blend to complement their 100 percent pomegranate juice. PomaGrand juices are available in 450mL (15.2 fl. oz.) grab-n-go recyclable bottles. For more information on Odwalla’s new PomaGrand line, log on to www.odwalla.com. - ARA |
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