In Praise of Pomegranates

Illustration © D. Yael Bernhard

When Moses ben Shem Tob de León wrote “The Book of the Pomegranate” (Sefer Ha-Rimmon) in the year 1274, he did not know the nutritional properties of this ancient fruit. As an early Kabbalist (follower of Jewish mysticism) of the Iberian peninsula, Tob de León’s view of the pomegranate was reverential. “It is filled with the secrets of God, and the Commandments of one who dwells in habitations,” he wrote, likening the fruit to the Shechinah, the earthly spirit of God in feminine form, and to the moon. As the pomegranate is endowed by Divine Spirit with seeds, he analogized, so too is humankind filled with the potential to do mitzvot, the 613 commandments of the Torah – which were believed to be about the same number as the seeds in a pomegranate.

Little did this 13th-century mystic know that over 700 years later, science is revealing some truth to his metaphorical projections. Pomegranates contain unique compounds which, on a cellular level, enact specific “commands” within the body which are highly beneficial, especially for your mitochondria, the organelles that generate energy within cells. Studies have shown pomegranates to reduce oxidative stress; to inhibit cancer, especially of the prostate and colon; to decrease inflammation and damage to the skin from ultraviolet light; to modulate blood pressure and cholesterol; and perhaps most importantly, to feed a unique gut bacteria that confers a wide range of additional benefits. This article explores the properties of this marvelous fruit, and how to best integrate it into your diet.