HISTORY OF POMEGRANATE

Chris Botha - Lifestyle Prescription Health Coach

Do pomegranates have a history?

It is said that pomegranate benefits were known to man since the ancient ages. Precisely why it finds mention in the Quran and the Bible.

Goddess of Harvest by tricking her to eat six pomegranate seeds. This makes her stay in the Underworld for six months each year, during which, the earth is deprived of its fertility.

The medieval marvel

Around Renaissance, this fruit of Persian origin travelled across the globe, inspiring writers and impressing artists. The French have named grenade, the hand-tossed weapon, after the pomegranate, because of the similarity between the fruit’s seed scattering property and the working of the weapon.

However, the history of a pomegranate is like the fruit itself. Just like the numerous seeds inside, its history is a collection of many historical incidents from across the world.

From the Promised Land to Greek myth

In Biblical tales, the fruits’ benefits have been well documented. The scouts presented it to Moses to symbolise the fertility of the Promised Land.

It also features in Greek mythology. In the story, Hades, the God of the Underworld, kidnaps Persephone, the

Pomegranates inspired Chaucer, Homer and Shakespeare too. The pomegranate features in many of their texts. Early sartorial texts reveal the influence of the pomegranate and its royal red colour led to the colour of many Italian fabrics, especially those from the Renaissance period. The greatest reverence for the fruit has been displayed by the Spanish, who put it in their National Emblem. There is a school of thought that believes that the fruit originally grew in China, during 100 BC, at the time of the Han dynasty. Later, pomegranates reached Italy where they got the name of Punic Apple, having taken the route through Carthage or Punic. Pomegranates are known as a symbol of health and prosperity across cultures. It is a part of Persian weddings where it is placed in a basket over the ceremonial cloth to represent a prosperous future. Pomegranates are a part of wedding ceremonies in Turkey, Crete and China too.

Fun facts about pomegranate

The pomegranate is a fun fruit. Read through the facts below and find out why:

Super seedy fruit

There can be more than 1,000 seeds in a pomegranate! Are you taller than a pomegranate tree?

A pomegranate tree can grow up to 15 feet in height and live for as long as 100 years!

The holy pomegranate

The Hindus perceive the pomegranate as a symbol of fertility and prosperity.

Can I tempt you?

Many believe that Adam was tempted by a pomegranate and not an apple. It is one of the oldest fruits known to man.

Sweet without calorie

A glass of pomegranate juice is sweet yet it contains less than one gram of protein and fat.