The pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is a shrub that produces a red fruit (1).
Categorized as a berry, the pomegranate fruit is about 5-12 cm (2-5 inches) in diameter.
It is red, round and looks kind of like a red apple with a flower-shaped stem.
The skin of the pomegranate is thick and inedible, but there are hundreds of edible seeds called arils within.
The arils are what people eat, either raw or processed into pomegranate juice.
Pomegranates have an impressive nutrient profile: One cup of arils (174 grams) contains (2):
Fiber: 7 grams.
Protein: 3 grams.
Vitamin C: 30% of the RDA.
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA.
Folate: 16% of the RDA.
Potassium: 12% of the RDA.
The pomegranate arils (seeds) are also very sweet, with one cup containing 24 grams of sugar, and 144 calories.
However, where pomegranates really shine is in their content of powerful plant compounds, some of which have potent medicinal properties.

The pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is a shrub that produces a red fruit (1).
Categorized as a berry, the pomegranate fruit is about 5-12 cm (2-5 inches) in diameter.
It is red, round and looks kind of like a red apple with a flower-shaped stem.
The skin of the pomegranate is thick and inedible, but there are hundreds of edible seeds called arils within.
The arils are what people eat, either raw or processed into pomegranate juice.
Pomegranates have an impressive nutrient profile: One cup of arils (174 grams) contains (2):
Fiber: 7 grams.
Protein: 3 grams.
Vitamin C: 30% of the RDA.
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA.
Folate: 16% of the RDA.
Potassium: 12% of the RDA.
The pomegranate arils (seeds) are also very sweet, with one cup containing 24 grams of sugar, and 144 calories.
However, where pomegranates really shine is in their content of powerful plant compounds, some of which have potent medicinal properties.