The Power of the Pomegranate

Pomegranates not only taste great, but they also have lots of medicinal benefits.

The composition of pomegranates is quite unique, being composed as a mixture of different bioactive compounds. The high levels of bioflavonoids, ellagitannins, catechins and anthocyanins give powerful health benefits to pomegranates.

The Benefits of Pomegranates

Here are 5 benefits of this powerful fruit:

  1. Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients. Pomegranates are high in vitamin C, potassium, fibre, vitamin K and folate. These nutrients are needed for the body to carry out regular functions, like digestion, breathing and preventing illness.
  2. Pomegranates may prevent and be used to help treat certain cancers. Some primary research suggests that pomegranates may help prevent cancer development and slow down the spread of cancer, particularly prostate, breast, skin, lung and colon cancers.
  3. It lowers blood pressure. Pomegranates are considered anti-hypertensives meaning that they can reduce blood pressure. Studies have shown that drinking 1 cup a day of pomegranate juice can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We love Pom juice! Available at local grocery stores.
  4. It is anti-inflammatory. Pomegranates are great at reducing inflammation. They have been studied in a number of different inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease.
  5. Pomegranates may help with depression. Pomegranate juice contains phytochemical compounds that stimulate serotonin and estrogen receptors, improving symptoms of depression and increasing bone mass in lab animals

The De-Seeding Technique

Taking the seeds out of a pomegranate is no easy task. It can be a messy, sticky scene. When we eat a pomegranate this way, we lose out on some of the nutrition that is in the pomegranate juice.

Luckily, Dr. Mason-Wood ND has a trick for getting pomegranate seeds out while preserving the juiciness and reducing the mess. Cut the pomegranate in half, put the cut half face down into your palm and fingers. Hold your hand over a large bowl. Then, take a wooden spoon and hit the back of the pomegranate. The seeds should fall out of the pomegranate, through your fingers and into the bowl.

Watch the video to see Dr. Mason-Wood’s ND trick for pomegranates in action.

Pomegranate Recipe Ideas

Because pomegranate seeds are so small, they are easy to add to a number of different dishes. Two of the easiest ways is to throw it into your favourite salad for a burst of flavour or add it to your smoothie. Here are 3 dishes we are excited to try.

Turkey Tacos with Pear Pomegranate Salsa Taco

Adapted from Ali Martin’s Pear Pomegranate Salsa and Dr. Chris Bjorndal ND in The Essential Diet:  Eating for your Mental Health. 

INGREDIENT:

Pear Pomegranate Salsa

      • 2 fresh pears (any kind), cored and diced
      • 1 fresh pomegranate, seeded
      • half a red onion, diced
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
      • juice of half a lime

Jack’s Taco Seasoning 

      • 1 tsp ground cumin
      • 1 tsp ground oregano
      • 1⁄2 tsp onion powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp paprika
      • 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper (ground) 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper flakes

Turkey filling

      • 1 tsp olive oil
      • 1 lb. ground lean turkey
      • ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
      • 3⁄4 C water
      • Whole-wheat tortillas
      • Optional: fresh lime wedges, extra chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream,  diced scallions, and tomatoes.

DIRECTIONS:

    1. Make the seasoning by tossing all the ingredients together
    2. Make the salsa. Toss the pears, pomegranates, red onion, cilantro leaves and lime together until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the ground turkey into small pieces and cook thoroughly (5 minutes). Drain the fat and reduce the heat. Add the taco seasoning mix and water, then stir to blend the spices with the meat. Reduce the heat to simmer.
    4. Lay one tortilla out on a serving plate.  Place a few slices of turkey in a line down the center of the tortilla.  Then add a few spoonfuls of salsa and a sprinkle of cotija cheese on top of the Turkey.  Serve immediately.

 

Pomegranate and Orange Salmon from Taste of Home

Taken from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/orange-pomegranate-salmon/

INGREDIENTS:

      • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
      • 1 skinned salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced
      • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
      • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

DIRECTIONS:

      1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place a 28×18-in. piece of heavy-duty foil in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Place onion slices in a single layer on foil. Top with salmon; sprinkle with salt. Arrange orange slices over top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds; drizzle with oil. Top with a second piece of foil. Bring edges of foil together on all sides and crimp to seal, forming a large packet.
      2. Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Be careful of escaping steam when opening packet. Remove to a serving platter; sprinkle with dill.

 

Pomegranate & Pear Green Salad with Ginger Dressing by Cookies and Kate

Taken from Cookies and Kate  

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

      • ½ cup raw pecans (halves or pieces)
      • 5 ounces baby arugula
      • 2 ounces (about ½ cup) goat cheese or feta, crumbled
      • 1 large ripe Bartlett pear, thinly sliced
      • 1 Honeycrisp or Gala apple, thinly sliced
      • Arils from 1 pomegranate

 

Ginger dressing

      • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, to taste
      • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
      • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
      • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
      • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
      • About 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To toast the pecans, place them in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pecans from the heat and roughly chop them (no need to chop if you started with pecan pieces). Set aside.
  2. Arrange the arugula across a large serving platter (or bowl, but the salad looks prettiest on a platter). Sprinkle the chopped pecans and crumbled goat cheese over the arugula. Fan out your slices of pear and apple and arrange them across the salad in sections (see photos). Sprinkle all over with fresh pomegranate seeds.
  3. To prepare the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until blended. Taste, and if it isn’t quite zippy enough, add another teaspoon of vinegar.
  4. Wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to serve (the dressing will wilt the greens over time). When you’re ready, drizzle the ginger dressing lightly all over the salad (you might not need all of it). Serve promptly.

References

1. Zarfeshany A, Asgary S, Javanmard SH. Potent health effects of pomegranate. Adv Biomed Res. 2014;3. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.129371
2. Pomegranates, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories. Accessed December 10, 2020. https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2
3. Sharma P, McClees SF, Afaq F. Pomegranate for Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: An Update. Molecules : A Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry. 2017;22(1). doi:10.3390/molecules22010177
4. Asgary S, Keshvari M, Sahebkar A, Sarrafzadegan N. Pomegranate Consumption and Blood Pressure: A Review. Curr Pharm Des. 2017;23(7):1042-1050. doi:10.2174/1381612822666161010103339
5. Sahebkar A, Ferri C, Giorgini P, Bo S, Nachtigal P, Grassi D. Effects of pomegranate juice on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2017;115:149-161. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.11.018
6. Danesi F, Ferguson LR. Could Pomegranate Juice Help in the Control of Inflammatory Diseases? Nutrients. 2017;9(9). doi:10.3390/nu9090958

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2

What is the Mediterranean Diet? And Is It Good for You?

Nutrition is one of the foundational building blocks of health. What we eat plays an incredibly important role in our digestion, mental health, hormone production and energy levels. At Natural Terrain, assessing a patient’s diet and nutritional intake is a common occurrence. Diet is an important way to make sure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals, proteins and nutrients you need to be healthy. The diets that are prescribed are often well-researched diets that are tailored to the needs of the patient. One diet that has a lot of good research behind it is the Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a diet based on the daily servings of food groups. Often the Mediterranean diet is described in a pyramid, with different food groups put into different levels. The bottom of the pyramid is what should be eaten at every meal and the top of the pyramid are foods that should be eaten the least.

Base Level

On the base of the pyramid is vegetables, fruits, whole grains, herbs, legumes and healthy fats. Olive oil is encouraged as the main healthy fat, but nuts and seeds are also placed in this category. Legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils should replace meat products in at least 3 of your meals each week. Every meal should focus on this main category.

Level 2

The next level of the pyramid is fish and seafood. Fish is the main source of animal protein in the Mediterranean diet. It is high in Omega-3’s which are anti-inflammatory and great for your health. When selecting which types of fish to eat, it is best to choose fish with lower levels of mercury. You can look here for low mercury fish. In Edmonton, we recommend buying your fish from Ocean Odyssey Inland for some of the freshest, high-quality fish.

Level 3

The third level is Poultry, Eggs and Dairy which should be consumed in small amounts. Eat these types of foods once every couple days.

Top of the Pyramid

The last category, which should make up the lowest proportion of your diet is red meats and sweets. Choose lean cuts of meats when possible and consume these only a couple of times each month. Leave sugary foods for special occasions only.

Water is encouraged to be drank throughout the day. Moderate intake of red wine is allowed, with the maximum drinks per day being 1 for women and 2 for men.  While the emphasis is on food group selection, the Mediterranean Diet also suggest daily exercise and eating with others, which are good practices to start.

What are the health benefits?

The health benefits of the Mediterranean has been well studied. One of the most studied link is between the Mediterranean diet and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Studies show that following a Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk of stroke, heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease. It has also been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure.

Mediterranean diets also have been useful in preventing and treating diabetes. The Mediterranean diet can help lower glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.

Besides diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the Mediterranean diet has been helpful to improve sleep quality, manage PCOS, prevent cognitive decline, decrease the risk of depression and prevent some cancers.

Although the Mediterranean diet is considered a ‘diet’, it does not require any change in the amount of food intake. Working with a naturopathic doctor to tailor a diet like the Mediterranean diet can be an important step in preventative medicine and building the foundation of health.

References

  1. Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Medicine. 2015;4(12):1933-1947. doi:10.1002/cam4.539
  2. Shafiei F, Salari-Moghaddam A, Larijani B, Esmaillzadeh A. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of depression: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutr Rev. 2019;77(4):230-239. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy070
  3. Martini D. Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients. 2019;11(8). doi:10.3390/nu11081802
  4. Campanini MZ, Guallar-Castillón P, Rodríguez-Artalejo F, Lopez-Garcia E. Mediterranean Diet and Changes in Sleep Duration and Indicators of Sleep Quality in Older Adults. Sleep. 2017;40(3). doi:10.1093/sleep/zsw083
  5. Georgoulis M, Kontogianni M, Yiannakouris N. Mediterranean Diet and Diabetes: Prevention and Treatment. Nutrients. 2014;6(4):1406-1423. doi:10.3390/nu6041406
  6. Rees K, Takeda A, Martin N, et al. Mediterranean-style diet for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Heart Group, ed. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Published online March 13, 2019. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009825.pub3
  7. Benson G, Pereira RF, Boucher JL. Rationale for the Use of a Mediterranean Diet in Diabetes Management. Diabetes Spectrum. 2011;24(1):36-40. doi:10.2337/diaspect.24.1.36