Good for you

Fall 2025 California Bountiful magazine

Pomegranates: The Golden State’s jewel

Story by Tawnie Graham

More than 4,000 years ago, the pomegranate was planted in Persia and soon became wildly popular across the Mediterranean, China, Africa and Afghanistan. By the 1700s, Spanish missionaries had introduced pomegranates to California—and the rest is history.

Today, farmers in the Golden State produce 90% of all U.S.-grown pomegranates. The jewel-toned fruit is packed with nutritional benefits—almost as many as there are arils, or seeds, inside each one (well, almost!).

Pomegranates are low in calories and fat but high in fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Their nutritional value may benefit us by supporting heart and urinary health, reducing inflammation, offering anticancer properties, helping to fight off harmful bacteria and improving exercise endurance. On top of all that, pomegranates are good for your brain, too.

If you already love pomegranates, let’s test your brainpower. Did you know that:

• To select ripe fruit, it should be heavy (an indication that it is juicy) but not rock hard and the skin should have a leathery texture with a slight give.
• The best way to slice a pomegranate is to start by cutting off the top. Then make six vertical scores around the fruit. Be sure to cut through the pith but not into the arils and gently pull the sections apart.
• To get the arils, submerge the segments in a bowl of ice water and gently press on the backs to release them. The arils will sink to the bottom and the pith will float to the top.
• To extend the shelf life by up to two months, store the whole fruit in the refrigerator.

If you’ve already removed the arils, they’ll keep five to seven days in the fridge—or freeze them for up to a year.

To take advantage of the benefits of pomegranates, simply toss a handful of arils into a smoothie, on a salad or into a cocktail. For more ideas, check out my recipes for Ground Turkey Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup, Pomegranate Apple Cobbler and Brunch Pomegranate Moscow Mules on my website. It’s almost pomegranate season, so get ready to enjoy the sweetness of this ancient fruit that has enhanced the dinner table for generations.

Tawnie Graham is a registered dietitian nutritionist, cookbook author, owner of food blog Kroll’s Korner and a mom. Follow her on krollskorner.com and on Instagram at @krolls_korner.