In ancient Greece, the pomegranate fruit was a symbol of marriage. From ancient greek myths we learn that by the will of the great Zeus, the god of the underworld, Hades, had to temporarily release his wife Persephone to her mother Demeter. In love with Persephone, Hades allowed himself to kidnap her, and when Demeter longed for her beloved daughter, Zeus ordered Hades not to interfere with the meeting between mother and daughter.

However, Hades found it difficult to part with his beautiful wife even for a short time, and he was afraid that Persephone, returning to Earth, would forget him. Then the god of the underworld came up with such a trick - he commanded his wife to swallow a pomegranate grain so that after a while, she would remember him and return to his underworld again.

Pomegranate is an ancient medicinal plant. It was grown in Babylon 5,000 years ago. Indian "Ayurveda" - the science of life tells us about the wonderful properties of pomegranate, including rejuvenating. Hippocrates used pomegranate juice for stomach diseases, and the peel - for the treatment of dysentery and wounds.



The great healer Avicenna wrote, “Pomegranates of all kinds, even sour ones, have a cleansing and astringent property.” Pomegranate bark was used in ancient times to get rid of parasites.

Since ancient times, pomegranate has been considered the king of all fruits in the East. Look closely, it even has a crown-shaped ponytail. In ancient Egypt, the dead were buried with the fruit of a pomegranate, which symbolized their return to Earth. Born in the East, believed to be Persia, the pomegranate became the national emblem of Spain, where there is even a city named after the pomegranate. This is Granada. And the city is named after the avenue of pomegranates planted by the Moors. As you can see, there are not at all simple stories associated with wonderful fruits.



So what kind of pomegranate is he? It is a shrub or branchy tree up to 6 m high. Beautiful double and single bell-shaped flowers have a bright orange-red color and reach a diameter of 4 cm. The pomegranate tree lives for 20 years and bears fruit every year.

Everyone knows the fruit of the pomegranate. They are large spherical, bright red shades... When you break the fruit, it seems that precious stones-rubies are falling out of it. Inside the fruit, these "rubies" are inhabited by families, which are divided by 9-12 membranes, as if forming nests. Each pomegranate grain, when nibbled, sprinkles with a sour-sweet juice. A large, ripe pomegranate can contain about a thousand seeds.

Homeland of pomegranate

The homeland of the pomegranate is Central Asia and North Africa. It is cultivated in many subtropical countries, grown in the Crimea, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Mediterranean, in the countries of Central Asia. Pomegranate grows in the wild in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

How to choose and buy ripe pomegranate?

Ripe pomegranate fruit is firm to the touch, its peel should be dry, and its color should be of a uniform shade. Ripe fruit should have more sweetness.

When choosing a pomegranate, make sure that the peel is tight around the grains. If the crust is too smooth, the fruit is unripe. There should be no greenery near the place where the flower grew. If the fruit is soft, it means that it was beaten on the road, or it may be frozen or rotted during transportation and storage.






There are a lot of various fruit acids in pomegranate juice: citric, malic, tartaric, oxalic, boric, succinic. It also contains organic acids, as well as phytoncides, nitrogenous and tannins, ash, tannin, chloride, sulfate, and other salts. Pomegranate juice contains 15 amino acids. Therefore, vegetarians can introduce it into their diet.

Pomegranate juice good thirst quencher, promotes the formation of red blood cells and the production of hemoglobin. Pomegranate is an excellent biogenic stimulant. Who often uses this fruit, he has no problems with the fullness of strength. In addition to all of the above, pomegranate strengthens the immune system, the nervous system, the walls of blood vessels, and improves blood formation. It is recommended for diseases of the circulatory system, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs. Doctors recommend adding pomegranate juice to the diet for everyone who has undergone surgery, as well as for the elderly.

Pomegranate juice helps to normalize blood pressure. Amino acids entering the human body are absorbed into the bloodstream. From amino acids, cells synthesize protein, which creates new healthy cells, participates in hormonal processes and metabolism, in protective and receptor reactions.

And that is not all. Amino acids actively fight degenerate, pathological cells, suppressing negative processes in the body. In other words, pomegranate juice is a prophylactic agent against malignant neoplasms. Pomegranate juice will help those who have already been exposed to radiation as a result of the disease and those who work with radioactive isotopes, and those who live in the zone of high radiation.

Pomegranate juice is an excellent remedy for hypertensive patients, as it reduces blood pressure, and for those who are often overtaken by colds, such as sore throats, coughs. You can gargle with diluted juice. Pomegranate is recommended for gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, bronchial asthma, anemia.

Pomegranate juice may be beneficial for diabetes. If you consume 60 drops of juice 4 times a day before meals, your blood sugar level will significantly decrease after 3 days.

Pomegranate peel - a good remedy for fixing the stomach in case of disorders.

Compresses are made from the broth for burns. The composition of pomegranate contains tannins that help to regenerate the skin. Pour 30 g of dried peel and partitions with a glass of boiling water and insist. Use within 3 days, applying compresses to the affected skin.



In the pomegranate, all the elements that make up the fruit are used, even the jumpers that separate the grains. They are dried and added to tea. It helps relieve anxiety and agitation, balance the nervous system and relieve insomnia.

For anemia, pomegranate juice is essential. With the help of juice, you can restore the vitality of the body. To do this, dilute 250 ml of juice with boiled water 1: 1 and drink one hour before eating. The entire course of treatment will take 2 months, during this time the drink should be taken 1/2 - 1 glass 3 times a day 30 - 40 minutes before meals. Then you need to take a break for a month and repeat again.

For cardiovascular diseases - 1 hour before breakfast 1/2 glass of sweet pomegranate juice (course of treatment - 3 months).


Pomegranate will help to cope with the lethargy of the body, when it seems that the strength is already running out, the body has hormonal imbalance, you chronically suffer from insomnia. Wonderful fruits will help you, but you need to be patient and have pomegranates. To do this, eat half of the fruit a day, along with the seeds. A week later, you will feel cheerful and energized. But do not rush to finish the treatment, continue on for a month.

The rich taste of pomegranate juice, like life-giving moisture, will save you in case of a breakdown or a decrease in immunity.There are many substances in pomegranate that normalize the level of hemoglobin in the blood. The juice also has a diuretic effect, so doctors recommend it for swelling and high blood pressure. Pomegranate can replace most diuretic drugs that lower blood pressure, and at the same time remove potassium from the body, which is essential for the functioning of the heart, while pomegranate, on the contrary, saturates the body with potassium. Pomegranate juice is superior in nutritional value to many juices.



The juice has a beneficial effect on digestion, helping to cope with indigestion and inflammation of the digestive tract. This increases the secretion of gastric juice and increases appetite.

Pomegranate flowers are also helpful. They are used to produce dyes used for dyeing silk, cotton, linen and woolen fabrics.

Harm

Pomegranate is quite an effective remedy for various diseases, so if you decide to use it for treatment, you need to consult a doctor, because many healing plants are not always useful for everyone. For example, pomegranate juice has a choleretic and diuretic effect, that is, it is useful for diseases of the kidneys and liver. But is it so specific for you?

If someone has cholelithiasis or urolithiasis, should such remedies and fruits be used? Only your doctor will answer this question. Many are now susceptible to allergies, so before drinking the juice, you should also consult a doctor. You can try the smallest methods of juice, diluting it with water 1: 1.

For young children, this dose is 1 teaspoon of diluted juice. But babies under one year old should not be given pomegranate juice at all, as it can irritate the stomach. And for those who have increased secretion of gastric juice, gastritis or ulcers, it is better to drink the juice with diluted water, and maybe not at all.

Pomegranate seeds are used to make pomegranate oil, which is rich in fat-soluble vitamin E.

In Caucasian cuisine, pomegranate juice is very popular; it serves as a seasoning for various dishes. Many dishes get their unique taste thanks to pomegranate juice.

We can use pomegranate in home treatment, but in medicine, all the elements of the pomegranate fruit: peel, flowers, seeds, pomegranate juice are used to create medicines.

Harm - special warnings

1. Pomegranate juice is not recommended for children under 1 year old.

2. The juice is categorically contraindicated for those who suffer from gastric ulcer or gastritis with high acidity of gastric juice. In this case, it should be drunk diluted, as the acids irritate the stomach.

3. After taking the juice, it is recommended to immediately brush your teeth, as it can corrode the tooth enamel. You can drink through a straw.

4. For those who have problems with the digestive system in the form of constipation, hemorrhoids or cracks in the anus, pomegranates are not recommended, as it has anchoring properties.

5. Even absolutely healthy people should not drink pure pomegranate juice. This juice is very acidic, so it should be drunk diluted 1: 3 with water. Pomegranate juice can also be diluted with apple juice 1: 3.

6. And one final warning: the pomegranate peel contains a small percentage of poisonous alkaloids. Be careful with broths, poisoning is possible. Knowing the exact prescription and consulting a doctor are a must!

How to make pomegranate juice at home

For the preparation of pomegranate juice, only ripe fruits should be used. How to make juice at home. Wash the fruits, cut into 3-4 parts and then press, preferably with a hand press.

Filter the first portion of juice, and if you are thinking about stocks, then pasteurize at 85 ° C and pour into cans, followed by sealing. The remaining cake can be poured with water, heated, pressed and made jelly or compote. Pomegranate juice can be prepared as follows: take the fruit, roll it with effort on the table, then make a hole in it and pour the finished juice into a glass.

How to store pomegranate fruits

Taken from the branches and slightly dried in the shade, the fruits can be stored until spring. When buying pomegranates, choose large, shiny fruits. They must not be damaged. Whole fruits can be stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place for 1 to 2 months. If you want to save for a longer time, freeze the pomegranate by placing it in a bag. Frozen pomegranates can be kept for a long time.




Pomegranate juice will help:

1. Remove peeling.
2. Get rid of freckles and pigmentation.
3. Smooth out wrinkles.
4. Remove dark circles under the eyes.
5. Cope with problem skin.

Check out our recipes for skin care using pomegranate juice below. Before applying any mask, you should clear skin, you can use a scrub.

A nourishing mask for all skin types.

Mix 1 tsp of pomegranate juice with 1 tsp. a spoonful of sour cream. Apply the mass on your face and after 10 - 15 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Mask for oily skin.

Pomegranate juice - 1 tbsp. spoon.
Egg white - 1pc.
Beat the egg white and mix with the juice. Apply the mask for 20 - 30 minutes. Wash off with cool water.

Nourishing mask for normal skin.

This mask is moisturizing. It is better to do it 2 times a month.

Kefir - 1/2 cup.
Crushed pomegranate seeds - 3 tbsp. spoons.
Honey - 2 tsp.
All ingredients are mixed and applied to the face. The procedure takes 20 minutes. Wash off the mask with cool water.

Mask for dry skin.

Sour cream and pomegranate juice - 1: 1 (1 tablespoon can be used)
Vegetable oil - 1 tsp. Spoon.
Mix all. Apply the resulting mask to the face and keep for 15 minutes.
Wash off with warm water.

A pomegranate and oatmeal mask for those who want to get rid of freckles.

Grind pomegranate seeds to 3 tbsp. spoons.
Oatmeal - 1 cup
Kefir - 2 tbsp. spoons.
Honey - 2 tbsp. spoons.
Mix everything and apply on the face. The procedure takes 10 minutes.
Wash off with warm water.



Smoothing mask.

Cook oatmeal or semolina porridge without adding salt and sugar. By the 2nd Art. add squeezed juice to tablespoons of warm porridge, mix everything and apply for 15-20 minutes.

Basically, with such a significant acid content, pomegranate masks are more suitable for oily skin. But to take advantage of the brilliant effect of pomegranate on dry skin, you can add emollient ingredients to the masks:

sour cream - 1 tbsp. spoon - 3-4 tbsp. spoons of juice;
milk cream in equal proportions with juice;
fat cottage cheese - 1: 2.
The duration of the procedures is 15 minutes. Washing with warm water.

And one more mask for dry skin, the effect of which will not keep you waiting for long good results.

Raw chicken egg yolk, 4-5 tbsp. l. pomegranate juice, 2 tbsp. l. milk and 1 tsp. any nourishing face cream. Mix everything until smooth and apply for 15 - 20 minutes. Then wash with warm water.

Hair Mask.

Pour one glass of vodka into a glass dish, squeeze out the juice of half a lemon and add 1 hour. a spoonful of honey and 1 hour. spoon of carrot juice, mix. Then pour in the pomegranate juice (one ripe pomegranate is enough) and stir again. Close the lid tightly and leave in a dark place for 10 days.

Before washing your hair, separate the strands of hair and wipe the roots with a cotton swab dipped in the resulting lotion. Cover your head with a cotton kerchief or towel for 20 to 30 minutes. Then wash your hair with a mild shampoo and rinse with acidified water (1 tablespoon of vinegar or 1 teaspoon of citric acid in a bowl of water). This rubbing with pomegranate lotion should be done before every shampoo for a month.

Foot bath - relaxation for tired feet.

Fill in 2 tbsp. tablespoons of pomegranate peel with a glass of water, boil for 15 minutes over low heat, let it brew a little. Pour the prepared infusion into a bowl of water. Put your feet in it and sit quietly for 15 minutes. After the procedure, rinse your feet in cool water, dry them and spread with a nourishing cream.

As you can see, we will have to admit that the pomegranate is the king of all fruits!