1. Pomegranate Fruit Health Benefits

2. Objectives • To describe pomegranate fruit and plant cultivation. • To analyze the antioxidant properties and nutritional values of the pomegranate fruit.

3. Taxonomy Family:Lythraceae Genus:Punica Species:granatum

4. Origin and Domestication 1769 1416

5. Plant Structure • The tree: • Rounded shrub or small tree 12 to 16 ft. in height. • Usually deciduous • Stiff, angular branches, often spiny. • Long-lived tree. • Vigor declines after about 15 years.

6. Plant Structure • Leaves and flowers: • Glossy, leathery leaves that are narrow and lance-shaped. • Flowers have a bright red color and 5 to 8 crumpled petals • Red, fleshy, tubular calyx which persists on the fruit. • Self-pollinated • Cross-pollination (insects & wind) • Blooms from early May to November • Flowering from mid May to early June

7. Plant Structure • Fruit • Round shaped (2-1/2 to 5 in.) • Tough, leathery yellow/red skin or rind. • Interior is separated by membranous walls and white, spongy, bitter tissue into compartments packed with sacs filled with sweetly acid, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp or aril. • Each sac have one angular, soft or hard seed.

8. Plant Culture Climate • Mild-temperate to subtropical regions. Also adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. • It can be severely injured by temperatures below 12º F (-11º C) • The plant favors a semi-arid climate and is extremely drought -tolerant.

9. Plant Culture Soil • Calcareous to deep loam • pH: alkaline to acidic • In northern India, it is spontaneous on rock gravel surfaces.

10. Plant Culture Propagation • Hardwood cuttings 10 to 20 in (25-50 cm) • Most common • Set in beds with 1 or 2 buds above the soil for 1 year before transplant. • Grafting has never been successful. Seedlings lack uniformity. • Air-layered branches and suckers from a parent plant can work too.

11. Plant Culture Planting • 2 ft (60 cm) deep • 12 to 18 ft (3.5-5.5 m) apart (depending on the fertility of the soil) • Begin to bear 1 year after planting (2-1/2 to 3 years is more common) • Good commercial production at 5 to 6 years. Pruning • Initially, the plants are cut back to 24 to 30 in (60-75 cm) in height • For the first 3 years, the branches shortened annually to encourage the max number of new shoots on all sides and achieve a strong well-framed plant. • After the 3rd year, only suckers and dead branches are removed.

12. Plant Culture Harvesting • The fruits ripen 6 to 7 months after flowering. • In California maturity has been equated with 1.8% titratable acidity and 17% SSC • Fruit cannot be ripened off the tree even with ethylene treatment. • Clipped close to the base (stem can cause damage in handling and shipping) • Too much sun exposure causes sunscald blemishes and roughening of the rind.

13. Food uses • Can be consumed fresh. • Juiceis becoming a very popular beverage. • Health benefits of pomegranate juice are becoming more widely known. • Research currently being conducted on it.

14. Health Claims • Nutritional value • Polyphenols Antioxidant Activity • Antioxidant Health Benefits

15. Nutritional Values

16. Polyphenol Antioxidant Activity • Antioxidants: scavengers that can neutralize free radicals • prevent the cell and tissue damage linked to disease. • Polyphenols are potent of the antioxidants. • Other antioxidants • tannins, punicalagin, anthocyanins (abundant in pomegranate juice) • At least 10,000 unique polyphenols in the world. • Polyphenols “many phenols”. • carbon-based chemical structure that bound together form a polyphenol.

17. Pomegranate Antioxidant Contents • Both pomegranate pulp and peel contain many different kinds of antioxidants.

18. Pomegranate Juice Antioxidant Facts

19. Antioxidant Health Benefits • Lower risk or heart disease • Slower cancer process • Reduce severity of atherosclerosis • Reduce risk of coronary heart disease • Improve vascular system

20. Medicinal Purposes • Uses in ancient Egypt civilization • Uses in ancient Greek civilization • Help digestion • Relieve mouth and throat inflammation

21. Conclusion • Pomegranate trees are very adaptable to many different environments