From seed to skin: Why the pomegranate (with its divine associations) is good for health

There are some fruits that are considered blessed across all cultures; pomegranate is one of them. Whether as a symbol of abundance or purity, this nourishing fruit is ubiquitous around the world. In the Quran, it is mentioned three times. In fact, the Prophet himself has said that: “There is no pomegranate unless there is a seed in it from paradise and I would like not to miss a single seed.”

In Buddhism, it is considered one of the three sacred/blessed fruits, the others being peach and citrus. There is one particular story in which the demoness Hariti was cured of her taste of devouring children after she ate a pomegranate gifted by the Buddha. In China, Japan and Christian art, the pomegranate is seen as a symbol of fertility and abundance. Greek legends are, in fact, replete with mentions of the pomegranate fruit or tree, whether it is in the not-so-fortunate story of Goddess Persephone or the more optimistic symbolism in the story of Leucippe and Clitophon, where the two lovers give thanks for safe travels before the statue of Zeus, holding a pomegranate.

Historians have often wondered whether it was the date palm or pomegranate tree that was depicted as the...

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