Dried Pomegranate Seeds | Uses, Recipes and Benefits

Every part of pomegranate fruit, from its peels to the dried seeds, has its own nutritional value. Pomegranate opens layer by layer, offering immense taste-rich health benefits at every layer down to its seeds. We will be discussing dried pomegranate seeds, their uses, recipes, and benefits. 

Pomegranate seeds are abundant in beneficial antioxidants, flavonoids, polyphenols, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids. These components make these seeds good for your heart health digestive health, help in improving brain function, and fight against cancer and various other diseases.

These seeds have a sweet, sour taste and can add a rich taste to various recipes. Keep reading to learn about the detailed benefits, uses, and recipes of dried pomegranate seeds.

Dried Pomegranate Seeds Benefits

Let’s dive deeper into their benefits.

Dried Pomegranate Seeds Benefits for Skin

Do you want fresh, clear, and supple skin? Eating right can help. UV radiations from the sun cause premature skin aging, making it lose elasticity and leading to wrinkles and fine lines. You can keep your skin youthful for a long time by protecting it from harmful rays of the sun from outside and inside by consuming the right food. An antioxidant named polyphenol can help reduce UV-A and UV-B radiation damage on the skin. Studies have shown that polyphenols when consumed or applied in ointments, can help in protection against sunburn and UV damage. Dried pomegranate seeds are abundant in polyphenols, giving you the joy of enjoying their benefits in a delicious way. 

Polyphenols also help in reducing hyperpigmentation caused by UV rays, so you can get all these benefits just by adding a little ingredient to your diet.

These seeds are also abundant in vitamin C, which is known for skin-friendly benefits. Just to state a few, vitamin C protects your skin from ultraviolet rays, reduces the appearance of dark spots, improves the appearance of fine lines, and also helps with acne. This is why people are obsessed with its serums and pills.

Dense in Nutrients

These seeds are rich in various nutrients. Around 282g of pomegranate seeds contain 234 calories. They are a good source of fats, carbohydrates, dietary fibers, calcium, iron, proteins, potassium, and sugars. These seeds are high in vitamin E, antioxidants, and unique fatty acids as well.

High in Antioxidants

Dried pomegranate seeds are rich in antioxidants. Just to refresh this concept, let’s talk about what antioxidants actually do. Free radicals are molecules that contain unpaired electrons, so they try to complete their electron pair by acquiring them from your body cells, such as collagen. In this process, they cause cell damage. This damage caused by free radicals is called oxidative stress. These days we are abundantly exposed to free radicals from sources such as chemicals, smoking, and pollution. So, here comes antioxidants in the game. Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals so that they do not damage your cells. So, antioxidants keep your body structures healthy and prevent premature aging. 

Secondly, antioxidants are your liver’s best friend. They keep it functioning well by reducing its burden and protecting your body against inflammation. So, if you are experiencing weight gain due to inflammation, try adding dried pomegranate seeds along with other antioxidants to your diet. 

Good for Your Digestive Health

Dried pomegranate seeds are a good source of fiber. It keeps your digestive tract healthy and makes you feel full. So, you can manage your weight by intaking fiber. Fiber also balances cholesterol levels and prevents blood sugar spikes. So, in other words, fiber intake is good for your heart health and for people with diabetes. 

Keep Your Brain Functioning Well

Polyphenols are abundantly found in pomegranate seeds and their juice. Studies have shown that polyphenols prevent age-related health disorders and improve cognitive function. They keep your brain functioning well and prevent diseases like dementia. 

Good for Your Heart Health

Polyphenols, found in dried pomegranate seeds, protect the inner lining of your heart by improving the function of the inner lining of the heart and blood vessels. They increase the production of good cholesterol (HDL) and decrease the production of bad cholesterol (LDL). This makes dried pomegranate seeds a heart-friendly food.

Dried Pomegranate Seeds Uses

Dried pomegranate seeds are used to add a sweet-sour flavor to sauces, vegetable dishes, and salads and can be used as a spice. You can consume them in powdered form because they can be quite hard to chew otherwise. 

Here are some ways to use dried pomegranate seeds:

These seeds often collect dirt, so it is advised to wash them properly before consuming them. Dry the washed seeds in the air and grind them in a spice grinder to get their powdered form. Use this powder to marinate the meat of your choice. For example, add this nutrient-rich powder to marinate steak, roast, or minced meat, or use it in any other recipe. Just by adding this ingredient, your dishes will taste a lot better and get a super rich taste. Plus point, pomegranate seed powder can also help in removing the odor of meat, making it taste even better. 

You can also add this seed powder to chili and mint sauce to add a hint of a sour taste to it. If you love eating salads and want to make them more delicious, try adding this powder to enhance both the taste and nutrition of the salads. 

There is another way you can use dried pomegranate seeds. Wash them properly and soak them in water. This will soften the seeds, which you can use in various dishes while cooking. For example, add the softened seeds to the paste for barbeque marinade, or use them in homemade sauces.

Dried Pomegranate Seeds Recipes

Even though dried pomegranate seeds can be used in a number of creative recipes, we will be sharing only a few here.

Chili-Mint-Tamarind Sauce

Chicken/ Mutton/ Beef Meatballs

Ingredients

1. 1 lb ground meat
2. 1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian-style bread crumbs
3. 1 tablespoon of dried pomegranate seed powder.
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
7. 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
8. 1 egg

Recipe

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Set it aside for half an hour to get a rich taste.
2. Shape the mixture into small ( about 1 1/2-inch) meatballs. 
3. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a 13×9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.
4. Place the meatballs 1 inch apart in the pan. 
5. Bake uncovered meatballs for 18 to 22 minutes or until temperature reaches 160°F. Meatballs should no longer be pink in the center.
6. Alternatively, you can shallow fry them in a pan for 20 minutes. 
7. You can add these meatballs to pasta or curry. 

Conclusion

Dried pomegranate seeds are a rich source of many vital nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, copper, manganese, and potassium. They also contain a handsome amount of antioxidants, protecting your body from free radical damage. Consuming them regularly, along with a healthy diet and a good exercise routine, can lower the risks of cancer and heart issues and improve memory and digestive health. A huge plus point of consuming them is that they taste so good and add freshness to any dish you add them to. You can consume them in powdered form as a spice or as an ingredient in various dishes. Do try dried pomegranate seeds to get the benefit of their nutritional value and to make your recipes 10x tastier. 

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