Pomegranate Peels – Treasure for Beauty and Health
Pomegranate Peels – Treasure for Beauty and Health
For Ayurvedic characteristics of pomegranate see: Pomegranate in Ayurveda.
Any part of the pomegranate plant ( seeds, peel, juice and leaves) is a storehouse of nutrients, rich in biologically active compounds.
The use of peels is efficient and practical – it is food waste, which, when properly prepared and used, turns into an affordable, effective cure for many ailments.
Composition of pomegranate peel
The rind of Púnica granátum (lat.) are a generous source of biologically active compounds. They account for approximately 50% of the total weight of the fruit. The composition of the peel includes:
phenols (caffeic acid, punicalagin);
flavonoids (luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin);
ellagitannins (a group of polyphenolic compounds with a powerful antibacterial effect);
minerals (mainly potassium, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium);
tannins;
complex polysaccharides.
Useful and healing properties
This fruit has been widely used in traditional medicine, including for the treatment of ulcers, diarrhea, acidosis, dysentery, bleeding, microbial infections, respiratory diseases, and as an anthelmintic and antipyretic.
The list of medicinal properties of pomegranate peels is impressive:
antimicrobial;
antioxidant;
anti-inflammatory;
anti-carcinogenic;
antifungal;
antiviral;
immunomodulatory;
hemostatic;
laxatives;
diuretics;
antiparasitic and others.
Contraindications:
serious diseases of the liver and urinary system;
hemorrhoids, indigestion;
while taking antihistamines;
breastfeeding and age under 3 years;
individual intolerance.
If you have other diseases not included in this list, be sure to consult with your doctor.
How to properly prepare pomegranate peel
After reading about the benefits of pomegranate peels, you may want to stock up on them. The best time for harvesting is autumn, but for lack of a better one, anything else will do.
Concentrations of bioactive compounds vary greatly depending on the variety, environmental conditions, fruit maturity, storage and post-harvest handling. This affects the quality of the fruit and the content of healthy substances. Therefore, it is important to follow the rules when selecting, preparing and storing.
You will need to take seven easy steps:
Take ripe, high-quality medium-sized fruits. It is better to opt for fruits with a dense and elastic skin of a dark red (not brown) color. Check that there are no unevenness, rot or black spots on the rind.
Wash thoroughly with warm water and a brush to remove any remaining wax.
Dry with a towel.
Remove the top colored part of the peel as well as the remaining yellow inner part.
Cut into small pieces.
Place in one layer on a baking sheet.
Dry using one of the following options:
oven at low temperature (up to 140° F);
dryer for fruits and vegetables;
sun (under gauze).
Drying temperature – from 104 to 140 F. Drying time – from 12 to 22 hours (depending on temperature). You can dry it at room temperature for a week or a week and a half, remembering to periodically ventilate the room.
Check for doneness with your finger – the peel should break when pressed.
This form is convenient to brew tea from pomegranate peel or make infusions.
For medicinal or cosmetic use, it is still more convenient to use pomegranate powder. To do this, you need to grind the dried peels in a coffee grinder, blender or mortar.
How long can you store without losing beneficial properties?
Dried pomegranate peels can be safely stored for 3–4 years. If you follow all the rules of preparation and storage, the healing properties will remain unharmed. It is preferable to use hermetically sealed dark glass jars or ceramic containers for these purposes. Paper bags are Ok (this option is not suitable for powder). Keep in a dark, cool place – in the refrigerator or basement. Freezing is another possibility.
Ways to use pomegranate peels
Pomegranate has been widely used in different cultures and countries since ancient times. Over the entire period of its popularity, a huge number of recipes have accumulated.
Peels of this “fruit of the gods” are used in medicine, cooking, and cosmetology.
In medicine
Before use, consultation with a specialist is required!
To calculate the pediatric dosage, contact your pediatrician.
Rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins, pomegranate peel helps with various infections: sore throat, influenza virus, herpes virus, etc.
Powerful antioxidants in its composition help with heart disease, high cholesterol levels, emotional and physiological stress, and high blood pressure.
In the field of dentistry, pomegranate peel helps cope with bad breath, gingivitis, and stomatitis. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pomegranate peels are useful for reducing bone density (osteopenia), especially in women during menopause. Their consumption improves the health of the skeletal system and helps prevent the onset of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Benefits for the gastrointestinal tract
helps with increased stomach acidity, ulcers, gastritis in the acute stage and other gastrointestinal diseases;
helps reduce inflammation of the intestines, restores its mucous membrane, improves digestion, even helps with stomach ulcers, and destroys pathogenic microflora.
Prepare the infusion:
1 tsp pomegranate powder plus 200 ml of boiling water.
Let sit covered for 40 minutes.
Strain.
Take 25 ml 4 times a day on an empty stomach, pre-heated.
Drink one day, rest the next (take every other day).
The course is one week. If necessary, can be repeated after a 7-day break.
For diarrhea
Option 1. Fresh peels
Thoroughly wash fresh, rot-free and dent-free pomegranate.
Cut off the peel (except for the yellow inner part).
Place in a saucepan and add 300 ml of boiling water.
Leave for 30 minutes.
Drink up.
If necessary, repeat after 3 hours.
Option 2. Dried peel
1 tsp pomegranate powder plus 300 ml of hot water.
Heat in a water bath for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes, covered.
Strain.
Drink up.
After 3 hours, repeat if necessary.
For gums and nasopharynx
Thanks to anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral and wound-healing properties, pomegranate peels are effective for diseases of the gums and nasopharynx.
4 tbsp of dry peel plus 1 liter of boiling water.
Boil over low heat for 5 minutes.
Pour into a thermos and leave it for 40 minutes.
Strain. Cool to warm temperature.
Rinse the gums and/or nasopharynx with the resulting infusion 5 times a day.
For burns
Wipe/pour the damaged area with infusion or diluted pomegranate juice (1 part juice to 3 parts boiled water).
Sprinkle the area with pomegranate powder.
Apply a sterile bandage.
Possible additions. Moisten the bandage with the infusion as soon as a piece of the bandage begins to dry out.
For strong bones:
1 tbsp dry pomegranate peel powder stir in a glass of warm water, add a spoonful of lemon juice. Drink before bed.
In cosmetology
The use of pomegranate peels prevents the breakdown of collagen in the skin and renews cells. This delays the appearance of signs of aging and reduces the number of wrinkles. Ellagic acid in the composition helps retain moisture in the skin, keeping it soft and beautiful.
The peels contain sunscreen agents that reduce the intensity of harmful rays and also restore the pH balance of the skin, help fight hair loss and prevent the threat of dandruff.
Regular use of the following mask will help moisturize the skin, rejuvenate it, and protect it from environmental toxins:
# 1 tbsp pomegranate powder mixed with a small amount of yogurt.
Apply to the face and neck for 10 minutes.
Rinse off with cold water.
# Dried pomegranate peel is an excellent scrub for the body that help remove dead cells and make the skin glowing, healthy and elastic:
2 tsp pomegranate powder mix with 1 tsp brown sugar.
Add 1 tsp honey and olive oil (or other vegetable oil).
Mix well. Massage the scrub thoroughly onto your body.
Rinse with water. Apply moisturizer.
For healthy hair
Add pomegranate powder to hair oil, stir and apply to roots. Massage well. After two hours, wash your hair with shampoo.
In cooking
When cooking, pomegranate juice, the seeds, and the peel are used.
Pomegranate seasoning is prepared similarly to pomegranate powder. It can also be mixed with salt. A piquant aroma, an unusual aftertaste, plus benefits for the whole body – this spice deserves a presence in the kitchen of every housewife.
Where is pomegranate powder used as a seasoning:
soups,
salads,
vegetables,
legumes,
marinades,
sauces,
drinks (compotes, fruit drinks, jelly, tea),
bakery,
dessert,
jam, marmalade,
syrups.
TODAY’S TIP:
Healthy tea recipe
Ingredients:
peel of one pomegranate (or 1 tbsp pomegranate powder);
zest of one orange;
3–5 mint leaves (or 1 tsp dried mint);
1 tbsp grated ginger (or 1 tsp dried);
½ tsp caraway;
½ tsp honey.
Preparation:
Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan.
Add pomegranate and orange peels and bring to a boil.
Add mint, ginger, cumin and remove from heat.
Strain. Serve with honey.