Pomegranate Molasses
The origin of Pomegranates, which is very much a sweet fruit with a hint of tartness, dates back thousands of years to traditional Persian and Middle Eastern Isles. Here there Pomegranate was thought to be a royal fruit, and with good reason. The pomegranate is a jewel-like fruit that proudly wears a crown upon its berry red coating. It has been known for centuries to have powerful healing properties for the body and mind.
Throughout this ancient times Pomegranate molasses was developed by its people as a way to preserve perishable pomegranates, in the form of their juice and a welcome addition to add sourness to their range of food.
Pomegranate molasses is a simple traditional blend of pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice. The purer the blend the better, as on consumption you can still ingest the same health benefits from pomegranate molasses as you can from pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice contains antioxidants and B vitamins that provide various health benefits.
Immune System
Pomegranate molasses contains antioxidants, mainly vitamin C, that is beneficial to your immune system (1). When you digest food, a process called oxidation takes place wherein molecules called free radicals are formed. Free radicals are substances that can lead to tissue damage and may cause diseases such as heart disease or cancer. Antioxidants help your immune system by protecting cells against the harmful effects of these free radicals.
Lower Cholesterol
Pomegranate juice may prevent or slow the accumulation of cholesterol in your arteries (2). Cholesterol build up causes your arteries to harden and narrow, and is the leading cause of heart disease and many other ailments. Antioxidants such as polyphenols can reduce low-density lipoproteins that lead to cholesterol build-up. Pomegranates contain a higher amount of polyphenol antioxidants than most fruits.
Vitamin B
Pomegranate molasses contains several B vitamins including B1, B3, B5 and B6. Vitamin B1, or thiamin helps your body produce energy and is an aid to enzymes that help your muscles, cardiovascular system and nervous system (3). Vitamin B3 helps to maintain the health and vitality of your skin, nervous system and digestive system. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, helps your body break down proteins you consume and maintains the health of your red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body
The benefits of Pomegranate molasses are clear, however what does muddy the water (or the juice) a little are the additions the western world adds to this ‘blend’. The molasses, which you can make yourself, is basically the juice boiled down until it is thick and dark. Pomegranates can vary considerably in flavour, sweetness, and tartness, depending on where they are grown, so it might be necessary to add sugar and possibly lemon. However, and this is the key, brands of pomegranate molasses vary widely from supermarket to supermarket. Some are very often too sweet or even too thin.
Traditionally, Middle Eastern Pomegranate molasses is made purely with 100% pure Pomegranates, as you can imagine. But more mainstream production of this juice has been tailored for the consumer with additions such as sugar, glucose, water, preservatives and very often it’s found that only 10-30% of the product is made with Pomegranates. Sacrilege!
This is where Pomegranate Essence comes into light; its traditional roots and flavoursome originality differentiate between the harnessed benefits of the true source and the adapted and modified products that are readily available today. Pomegranate Essence holds true to its values with real, earthy ingredients that allow the consumer to reap all of the benefits from this powerful fruit.
Reference
http://www.nutriweb.org.my/publications/mjn0022_2/10%20NoerLaily-Corr-1(SP)279-287.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17048194
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4007340/
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