Thank the honeybees for the rich jewel-like pomegranate seeds that are so healthy and loaded with wellness benefits. These plants can also be hand-pollinated by people if bees are not around.
The pomegranate is famous in Greek mythology where it was believed to be the fruit of the dead. It was said to have sprung from the blood of Adonis. The pomegranate is pivotal and powerful in the mythology of Persephone. She ate a few pomegranate seeds and that was all it took for her to be tied to Hades, Lord of the Underworld because the pomegranate was a symbol of the indissolubility of marriage. Hades took Persephone to the Underworld as his wife. Her mother, the corn goddess Demeter, was inconsolable and she prevented Earth from bearing fruit unless she could see her daughter again. People made offerings of pomegranates to her as they prayed for fertile land. Zeus finally ruled that Persephone should spend 6 months of each year with her mother and 6 months with her husband in Hades.
Our recipe this week is simple and healthy.
Pomegranate, White Tea and Raw Honey Recipe
½ pomegranate, arils loosened
½ orange, peeled and the skin boiled to exude orange oils into the water
2 cups filtered water
1 white tea bag
1 teaspoon of raw honey
1-2 cinnamon sticks
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place the orange peel in a pot with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil. Add 1 white tea bag to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, loosen pomegranate arils (seeds) by tapping with a wooden spoon. Mash gently with a fork to loosen the juices. Add the raw honey to the pomegranate juice and seeds. Add the cooling orange water and white tea blend to the jar of pomegranate and honey. Insert 1-2 cinnamon sticks for flavor. Serve this exotic beverage in glasses.
This 1:00-minute video by nutru root shows how quick and easy it is to prepare.
This high-nutrient drink provides these nutritional skincare benefits:
Vitamin K, which helps maintain skin elasticity
Vitamin C which gives elastin growth and collagen
Polyphenols which repair the skin and promote the growth of new skin
EGCG which provides collagen and elastin longevity
Phytonutrients with enhancing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits
In this 1:04-minute video by Shubham Agriculture you see some splendid footage of a honeybee pollinating a pomegranate flower at the Om Natural Farm, Kutuch, Gujarat, India:
How do pomegranates help humanity?
If you have time to watch this 11:42-minute video by V Fit it is well worth your time. Not only does he share the benefits and some history of pomegranates, he also shows us how to cut the fruit, and access the juice and seeds. There is an art to dealing with this juicy fruit and he has mastered it.
As he shares in his video, pome is 'apple' in French and granate is seeds. Many ancient cultures used the fruit’s juice and skin to make red dye. The Bible spoke of pomegranates quite frequently, and the Children of Israel found that the Promised Land was full of pomegranates.
Here is a list of some of the many benefits he lists:
Antioxidants - removes hardness from the walls of the arteries and allows better circulation
VITAMIN C - causes anti-inflammatory action. Just 1 cup of pomegranate seeds contains 3 grams of protein
Cancer Prevention – studies and clinical trials show some promising preliminary results with prostate cancer
Alzheimer's Protection – helps blood flow better to the brain and other organs due to improved circulation.
Digestion – helps to reduce inflammation
Arthritis
Heart Disease – helps protect against heart disease by thinning the blood, improving blood circulation, reducing blood clots in arteries, lowering cholesterol
Blood Pressure – lowers blood pressure
Sexual Performance and Fertility - helps with erectile dysfunction
Diabetes
Vitamin Rich – vitamins A, E and C
Immune System – boosts immunity
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