Growing up with a father who traveled around the world for a living, at least that is how I saw it as he was in the USAF ( United States Air Force ), we were always introduced to new foods from around the world.  One of my favorite ones, we used to call ” CHINEESE APPLES ” was and still is the Pomegranate….

The pomegranate, botanical name Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree in the family Lythraceae that grows between 5 and 8 m tall.  I only know this because while visiting my family in Italy I noticed that they had 4 pomegranate Trees on there property and whenever I would visit I would ask first, but then was told that I could, load myself up with the fruit as all they do is let them fall to the ground and rot.  When I heard that, I started eating them almost every day while visiting/living with them.

As a kid I found it fun just to be able to make a mess while cutting up the fruit and putting the seeds in a bowl.  Sometimes so happy and excited to get one, that I forgot the white part in the fruit was bitter, while just jumping right in and taking a large bite into it ( once peeled ).

Now that I will be 40 next July ( july 6, 1977 ) or should I say THIS JULY… I am always looking for natural remedies for

healthier skin

weight loss

or basically the insides and outsides of the body… and in doing my research I found that this little wonder of the world does so many things … and here are just a few

Nutrition summary:

Calories 105

Fat 0.46g

Carbs 26.44g

Protein 1.46g

There are 105 calories in 1 Pomegranate.

Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 91% carbs, 5% protein.

1. Immunity boost. To prevent sickness, vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins your body needs. Instead of overloading on citrus fruits, you’ll be glad to know that the seeds from one pomegranate account for nearly 40 percent of your vitamin C for the day.

2. Healthy heart support. If you’re concerned about eating the right foods for your ticker, pomegranate seeds are great.

Not only do arils lower cholesterol, they can “lower high blood pressure and increase the speed at which heart blockages melt away.”

3. Overeating prevention. For being so small, pomegranates are surprisingly high in fiber—one of the most important nutrients for sustainable weight loss. Since high-fiber foods keep your body satisfied for longer, you’ll be less likely to overeat if you’re full. Snacking on pomegranate arils on their own is a healthy and refreshing fall treat, but there are plenty of other tasty ways to incorporate this delicious fruit into your diet.