Pomegranate

Food · Fruit · Food, Typed Supps

One of the most compound-dense fruits — much of it from the peel and pith.

Stage by stage

Intake (Punicalagins released): Chewing arils releases juice concentrated with polyphenols called punicalagins.
Stomach (Polyphenols released): Polyphenols begin releasing into the digestive tract.
Small & large intestine (Gut bacteria conversion): Punicalagins absorb poorly on their own; gut bacteria convert much of what isn’t absorbed into other active compounds.
Bloodstream (Antioxidant activity): Circulates with antioxidant activity, studied for modest cardiovascular and joint-related effects.

Timing

Juice typically has less fibre than the whole arils.

Time to effect

Weeks: Regular intake is linked to modest cardiovascular and joint-related markers in some studies.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.

In season

October to January in the northern hemisphere, April to July in the southern.

Satiety

220 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — very high. Modelled from the Holt et al. (1995) measurements.

Environmental footprint

1.1 kg CO2e and 199 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Other fruit" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Mid — roughly £9 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Punicalagins (polyphenols)
Vitamin C
Fiber

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 78.6
Protein: 1.9g
Carbohydrate: 13.5g
of which sugars: 13.5g
Fat: 0.2g
of which saturated: 0g
Fibre: 6.4g
Sodium: 4mg

Food vs. supplement

Like many polyphenol-rich foods, much of pomegranate’s studied benefit depends on gut bacteria converting its compounds into other active forms — a process that varies between individuals, something an isolated supplement dose doesn’t get around either.

Kitchen tip

Scoring the rind and breaking it apart underwater keeps the juice from staining and makes separating the seeds much easier.

Common myth

“Pomegranate juice delivers the same benefit as the whole fruit.” In reality: Juicing removes the fibre and some peel-derived compounds, concentrating mainly the sugar and a portion of the polyphenols.