Pomegranate: benefits, how to open it and ways to eat it

What does a serving of pomegranate provide?

We use 100 g of edible portion as a basis for comparison, not as a prescribed serving [1]. This is the weight of the arils, without the peel or membranes. BEDCA states that the edible portion makes up 56% of the fruit’s weight [1]; the actual weight varies from fruit to fruit.

Component	Per 100 g of edible portion [1]	Equivalent amount
Fibre	3.5 g [1]	3,500 mg [1]
Vitamin C	20 mg [1]	20,000 µg [1]; not expressed in IU
Potassium	247 mg [1]	247,000 µg [1]
Polyphenols	Present [6]	No comparable figure in this record; IU are not a unit for polyphenols

The upper daily limits for vitamin C include food and supplements: ages 1–3, 400 mg (400,000 µg) [5]; ages 4–8, 650 mg (650,000 µg) [5]. For ages 9–13, the limit is 1,200 mg (1,200,000 µg) [5]; for ages 14–18, 1,800 mg (1,800,000 µg) [5]. From age 19 onwards, the limit is 2,000 mg (2,000,000 µg) [5]. No limit has been established for infants under one year [5]. These are safety limits, not intake targets; vitamin C has no equivalent in IU.

Polyphenols include anthocyanins, which contribute to colour, and tannins, which give astringency [6]. Their amounts vary between fruits and preparations. The BEDCA record used for the table does not allow a clinical effect to be calculated from the amount of arils eaten [1].

What does the evidence say about blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation?

For blood pressure, a review of trials found average reductions when different pomegranate preparations were analysed together [2]. Results varied widely between studies. The authors call for better-quality trials before clinical efficacy can be attributed to pomegranate. This is a research signal, not a plan for treating hypertension.

For cholesterol, another review found a small increase in HDL, but no significant changes in total cholesterol, LDL or triglycerides [3]. The trials used juices, extracts and other preparations. We therefore cannot apply the result to a bowl of arils or suggest changing a statin.

For inflammation, an analysis of trials involving juice found a decrease in C-reactive protein, a blood marker [4]. The authors also call for more studies. An improvement in a marker does not prove that eating pomegranate prevents or treats a disease.

If you are looking to make changes for blood pressure, our diet guide for hypertension is a useful reference. It covers the overall eating plan alongside medical follow-up. Pomegranate can be part of that plan without taking the place of treatment.

Pomegranate juice or whole fruit?

For regular use, choose the whole arils. When you juice them, you leave some of the fibre behind. Drinking a glass also takes less time than removing the arils and chewing the fruit, so it is easy to have more without realising.

If you fancy juice occasionally, serve it as a drink with a meal. The clinical evidence cited above mainly studies juices or extracts; that does not make juice a necessary purchase. To compare it with another fruit, see our orange guide.

How to choose, open and store a pomegranate

Choose a heavy, firm fruit with no soft spots or mould. The skin colour varies by variety and is not enough to judge its sweetness. In Spain, the harvest season is concentrated in autumn [6].

1. Wash and dry the skin before cutting the fruit.
2. Trim the crown without pressing the knife in too deeply.
3. Score the skin along the white divisions and pull the pomegranate into sections with your hands.
4. Remove the arils over a bowl and take away the white membranes.

If juice splashes, open the sections inside a large bowl. The membrane is bitter, so removing it improves the flavour. Store the whole fruit in a cool place and the removed arils in the fridge. Eat the arils within a few days; discard them if they smell unpleasant or mould appears.

Ways to enjoy it without juicing

The arils add tartness, colour and texture. They go well with oats or walnuts on plain yoghurt. In a chickpea salad with leafy greens and olive oil, they balance the flavours. They also work well as a topping for vegetable soup or rice with vegetables.

For a simple dessert, combine pomegranate with orange segments. Seasonal fruit changes throughout the year; you can check the seasonal fruit and vegetable guide for reference. If you pair it with dark chocolate, enjoy it for the flavour without attributing therapeutic properties to the combination.

What questions come up in consultations?

In consultations, we find that preparation time is more of a barrier than the taste. Opening one fruit and storing the arils makes it easier to add them to several dishes. No special recipe is needed.

Another idea people raise is that “redder” means “more antioxidant”. Colour cannot tell you how many polyphenols are in your serving. A common question is whether you need to drink the juice to benefit from them. Trials do not support that conclusion for any particular person.

Who should be careful with the juice?

If you take warfarin and want to start drinking pomegranate juice regularly, discuss it with your pharmacist or doctor [7]. A case report described a possible interaction but did not establish causation [7]. Another study in volunteers found no relevant change in the metabolism of a test medicine, but it did not study warfarin directly [8]. We do not extend this uncertainty to all medicines or claim that eating a few arils affects treatment.

Pomegranate provides potassium [1]. If you have kidney disease, your nephrologist or dietitian will tell you how much protein, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals are suitable for you based on your stage of kidney disease. Adjust the amount of pomegranate to fit that plan. Do not change medication for blood pressure or cholesterol because you have read about a laboratory result.