The pomegranate is a popular exotic fruit whose origins lie in southeastern Europe and Asia and is one of the oldest fruits known to man. Also known as the granada, grenade, and the Chinese apple, the pomegranate was grown in ancient Egypt, Babylon, Iran and the Himalayas in northern India. The pomegranate reached American shores by the way of the Spanish Conquistadors. The fruit still has not reached the level of popularity in America that it enjoys in the Mid-East, Europe and the Far East, perhaps because of its plenitude of seeds.
The most commonly grown commercial variety in the U.S. is the “Wonderful” variety. Other varieties include the Grenada, Early Foothill, and Early Wonderful.
Locally Grown
Today the San Joaquin Valley boasts the only concentration of commercially grown pomegranates in America. For 2004 Variety Availability, please click here.
| Season & Availability Fresh pomegranates are available between August and December. Fresh pomegranates are available for purchase at many larger supermarket chains and at specialty stores. California ranks first in the U.S. in production of pomegranates . The San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Kings, Merced, Tulare, Kern, Madera, San Joaquin Counties) is the largest growing region of pomegranates in California. Fruit Patch will have a 25% increase in production over the 2003 season due to increased acreage. Fruit Patch grows pomegranates only on the best Class 1 soils for optimum growth and production. Class 1 soils are defined as deep, fine-sandy loam soils with good internal drainage. |
Nutrition Pomegranates are a versatile fruit and can be used as a garnish on sweet and savory dishes or pressed to extract the juice. Pomegranates are cholesterol free and a good source of Vitamin C. Pomegranates are also fat free, very low in sodium and a great source of fiber. For those counting calories, one pomegranate contains approximately 100 calories. Detailed nutritional information can be found by searching the USDA Nutritional Database. Enter “Pomegranates” (no quotes) as the keyword and select the link and report of interests. |
| Did You Know? Every pomegranate is composed of exactly of 840 seeds, each surrounded by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a thin skin. The French named their hand explosives the grenade after the way the pomegranate seeds scatter when thrown. |
|
