Pomegranate has been one of the most popular fruits among different cultures for many years and has been thought to be a plant from heaven. The fruit owes the popularity not only to it’s look, taste and nutritional value but also to the medical properties attributed to it.
Afrodite -the goddess of love, beauty and sexuality of ancient Greek- was associated with some fruits including apple, lime and pomegranate. According to legends she cultivated pomegranate in Greece which led to affluence in the land. Pomegranate is also mentioned in many ancient texts such as Quran, the Book of Exodus, the Homeric Hymns and the Babylonian texts.
Believing in pomegranate’s profits is reinforced through recent researches which show antiviral, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of pomegranate. Although the results are restricted to laboratory tests, they have increased the possibility of pomegranate’s effective role in treatment of some diseases.