Growers and Grocers

Any fruit that can be blended in a Starbucks drink and can be used to flavor body lotion has to be a hit, right? The pomegranate is the newest fruit to find fame in consumer products. According to Jane Porter of the Hartford Courant, the pomegranate is both versatile and trendy: “In the past seven months, 215 new pomegranate food and beverage products were introduced in the United States, according to Tom Vierhile, director of Datamonitor’s Productscan Online, which keeps track of new products. Last year, a total of 258 new pomegranate products were introduced, up from 93 in 2004, 31 in 2003 and 19 in 2002.” The products range from Pomegranate Power chewing gum and pomegranate chicken sausage to pomegranate shaving cream and lip gloss.

Porter tries to determine why the pomegranate has become so popular in recent years. Part of the answer may be the lasting allure of the fruit and its ability to fit into modern uses, as well: “For centuries, the sweet but tart fruit has left its deep crimson splash just about everywhere — in Greek mythology, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism. But for today’s consumer, the pomegranate has entered mainstream culture through more secular but equally worshipped outlets: Oprah, Rachael Ray, the Starbucks Frappuccino.”

In addition to simply being popular, the pomegranate also has health benefits. The University of California, Los Angeles says these benefits are plentiful:

-Packed with antioxidants (even more than you’ll find in cranberries, red wine and green tea), pomegranates can help prevent the onset of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that leads to heart disease and stroke.

Unlike most fruit juices, drinking a commercial juice such as POM Wonderful is more healthful than eating the fruit itself because 70 percent of the antioxidants found in the juice are released from the peel when the pomegranate is squeezed, according to Seeram.

-A study released by UCLA in June indicates drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day can help slow the spread of prostate cancer, allowing diagnosed men to live longer.

-Menopausal and post-menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, can be alleviated by the phytoestrogen found in the pomegranate seed. It’s the only plant known to contain estrogen.

-A natural Viagra? Another recent study, which measured the erectile function of rabbits, showed a regular intake of pomegranate juice raises nitric oxide levels and blood supply as seen in those who take Viagra.

Porter also notes that the exotic nature of the fruit, with its hundreds of bright red seeds, is also part of the reason for its popularity. “People like the exotic nature of the product,” Vierhile says. “People are becoming more adventurous in their eating and drinking habits, and pomegranates allow them to do that.”