The pomegranate influence

by Narineh Melkonian

Published: Saturday March 22, 2008

"Promegranate" by Christine Haroutounian.

Christine Haroutounian is a 12th grade photographer for the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School newspaper. She wants to study photography in college.

Have you heard the buzz about that "new" super-healthy fruit? Pomegranates have recently caught America's attention. This is probably due to the emergence of the health wave which causes people to be more conscious about eating healthy.

As an Armenian, pomegranates seem to be a regularity for me, but now the fruit is on its way to being a part of the American lifestyle. As the new "in" fruit, they have proven to be healthy because of their vitamin filled interior. Pomegranates are especially abundant in vitamins B and C. Not only do they provide significant amount of nutrients, but they are also rich in anti-oxidants, which tend to get a lot of people excited.

Due to its popularity, pomegranate goods are plentiful in grocery stores. Other forms of pomegranate such as its juice, have been receiving notice from nutritionists, because pomegranate juice is proven to reduce arterial plaque, and cholesterol. You can eat them in salads, soups, and some people make pomegranate wine. Or you can put on an old shirt, in order to be prepared for the mess, and eat the seeds right off the peel.

As Armenians know though, this miracle fruit is not nearly as new as it may seem to others. This ancient fruit was originally from Persia, and eventually spread to other countries within the Mediterranean region. As a result of the spread, they have played a crucial role in the Armenian culture for centuries.

Although this seemingly new fruit has just caught peoples' attention in America, it has persisted in the Armenian culture for centuries. Decayed pomegranate remains from 1000 BC have been discovered in abandoned settlements located in Armenia. In traditional cultures, like ours, pomegranates symbolize abundance and fertility.

In my grandmother's garden near Fresno stands a pomegranate tree that grew from several saplings before it. This tree goes back to my ancestors' town of Marsovan in present-day Turkey. Friends and family have planted dozens of other saplings from this tree. This is just one example of how it is a big factor in our culture. This ancient fruit seems to have taken to the soil of the new world.