An Ayurvedic Perspective on the Pomegranate

An Ayurvedic perspective of the Pomegranate fruit and a Pomegranate juice recipe from Lakshmi Ayurveda.

Pomegranates are called Dadima in Sanskrit or Anar in Hindi. The botanical name is Punica granatum.

This beautiful fruit is popular for its refreshing taste.

For medicinal purpose the fruit, bark of the fruit and the bark of the roots are used in Ayurveda.

It constituents (Fruit) are Vitamin C, Pectin, Sterols, Alkaloids, and Tannins. This could scientifically explain many of the Ayurvedic indications for pomegranate /dadima.

There are numerous benefits of this fruit. Our top 20 indications:

1. Being alkaloid it is is a great anti acid and worthwhile trying if you suffer from Acidity. Try 50 ml of the pure juice, 1 to 2 x daily on an empty stomach. It is also soothing for an inflamed stomach
2. Useful in bleeding piles
3. Pomegranate controls diarrhoea (also good for children)
4. Great digestive aid. Deepana/ increases digestive function
5. Pomegranate strengthen the heart. New research can confirm this!
6. It maintains healthy level of Oestrogen as they contain a small amount of estrone. Best to eat the fresh fruit, juice or seeds during menopause.
7. The fruit also kills parasites, it is specific for tapeworms, pinworms and roundworms. Best to follow this with a colon cleanse to flush out the parasites.
8. Try and roast the seeds this is very beneficial for people with excessive appetite(balance tiksnagni).
9. Pomegranates are also a well known aphrodisiac, they benefit the semen (Shukrala) via the plasma or so called rasa dhatu in Ayurveda.
10. In nose bleed the juice of its flowers is instilled nasally (nasya) to arrest the bleeding.
11. The juice can also be applied on skin rashes, allergic rashes, insect bites. You can also mix it with aloe Vera gel 1:1 ratio.
12. The fruit intake can help to improve haemoglobin level and help in treating anaemia. Vitamin C helps Iron absorption
13. Useful in loss of taste/ tastelessness
14. Prepare a drink with jaggery to alleviate excessive thirst (trishnahara)
15. The rind of the fruit is astringent and can be used to prepare a toothpowder
16. The pomegranate seed oil is wonderful to nourish your skin and hair
17. Pomegranate juice is full of anti oxidants and it may help to reduce cancer, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and nourish the nervous system.
18. It is antiemetic and useful to relive vomiting sensation and nausea (chardinigraha)
19. Combine with the herb Shatavari for menopause
20. Combine with the herb Arjuna, Bala and Ashwagandha for strengthening the heart

Wow this are truly amazing benefits of a fruit.

Try our yummy fresh pomegranate juice recipe.
Best to be enjoyed at room temperature.

Pomegranate juice– Anar juice
1 pomegranate (remove seeds)
1 small slice of ginger
½ lime or 1 small lemon (remove the skin)
½ cup of water (add more if you like)
Pinch of salt
Option 1: add 30 ml of Aloe Vera juice
Option 2: add 3-4 mint leaves. This also looks nice for decoration.
Option 3: if you prefer it more sweet add 1 tsp of powdered jaggery

How to make it:
Combine all the ingredients except the salt and blend in a blender.
Strain the juice. Add a pinch of salt and enjoy.

The Ayurvedic properties of Dadima/ pomegranate are:
Rasa/taste: sweet, astringent and sour taste,
Vipaka/post digestive taste: sweet
Virya/potency: semi hot in potency and it has an effect to balance the Tridosha.
It possesses light and oil attributes.

From a spiritual view point
• It has many seeds and is a symbol of fertility
• 5 Things Lord Ganesha loves and pomegranate is one of it.
• In Jewish tradition pomegranates resembles fruitfulness, knowledge, learning and wisdom.
• According to some beliefs pomegranate are grown in the gardens of paradise.

It might be an idea to plant your own pomegranate tree at home. To have the garden of paradise at your doorstep.

With love the Lakshmi Ayurveda team
We look forward hearing from you Info@lakshmiayurveda.com.au

PS: Thank you Vanessa for dropping off some pomegranate fruits at Lakshmi Ayurveda. This was the inspiration to write about this special fruit.

* 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘎𝘈. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘺𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴.