🫐 Pomegranates - Antioxidant Bomb

📊 Nutritional Table (100 g)

Below is the detailed nutritional value per 100 grams pomegranates.

* RDA - Recommended Daily Allowance (EU Regulation 1169/2011). Percentages are calculated for an adult. Athletes' needs may be higher.

💪 Benefits for Athletes

Here are the main pomegranates benefits in an athlete's nutrition:

• Punicalagins - unique antioxidants that improve circulation
• Nitric oxide production - dilates blood vessels like beetroot
• Reduces muscle soreness after training
• Improves testosterone levels (There is data on + after 2 weeks.)

🍳 How to Prepare

The best ways to prepare pomegranates, while preserving maximum nutritional value:

1. Fresh seeds: eat as is - a crunchy, juicy snack
2. Juice: 100% pomegranate juice, 200 ml per day
3. In salads: seeds with spinach, walnuts, feta cheese

⚡ When to Eat?

Before training (1-2 hours) - for circulation. After training - for recovery.

🔄 Substitutions and Alternatives

Best alternatives pomegranates:

Beetroot, cherries, blueberries, acai berries

💡 Tips

• Pomegranate juice without added sugar - only 100% juice
• Peel the pomegranate underwater - the seeds will sink, the peel will float
• Pomegranate seeds are perfect for salads - texture and color
• Store in the refrigerator - healthy pomegranates keep for up to 2 months.

🥄 Portions And How To Include In Diet

A practical portion — half a fruit (about 100 g of seeds). Pomegranate seeds work as an addition to salads, yogurt or porridge; they provide acidity and crunch without a large amount of calories. Juice — a more concentrated option.

• Seeds on salads with cheese and nuts.
• Into yogurt or oatmeal.
• On their own — as a refreshing snack.

🛒 How To Choose And Store

Choose a heavy fruit with firm, uncracked skin. Pomegranates are easiest to seed in water: after cutting and soaking, the seeds separate from the white membranes. Keep healthy fruits cool, and shelled seeds in the refrigerator.

• Whole fruits — cool for up to several weeks.
• Shelled seeds — in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
• Drink the juice immediately after pressing.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

• Juice only — no fiber and a larger amount of sugar that is easy to drink.
• Buying overly light fruits — the inside may be dried out.
• Seeding pomegranates dry — juice splashes; seed them in water.

📋 What Is Important To Know

Pomegranate seeds (for tea) contain polyphenols — these are plant substances that give the fruit color and an astringent taste. Polyphenols act as protective substances in the body, but their effect depends on the overall diet, not on a single product. Pomegranates also contain vitamin C and fiber, which are concentrated in the seeds.

⚖️ Portions And Daily Norm

• Half a medium pomegranate (about 80–100 g of seeds) — a usual portion.
• Eat all the seeds — the fiber is in them, not in the juice.
• Juice concentrates sugar: one glass requires several fruits, so there are more calories and sugar.
• Pomegranate contains natural sugar, so treat it as a fruit, not a "calorie-free" supplement.