73-438: The pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) is a fruit -bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae , subfamily Punicoideae , that grows between 5 and 10 m (16 and 33 ft) tall. The pomegranate is rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures. The pomegranate is thought to have originated from Afghanistan and Iran before being introduced and exported to other parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. It
146-608: A bonsai specimen tree. It could well be a wild form with a distinct origin. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society 's Award of Garden Merit . The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate ( P. protopunica ), which is endemic to the Socotran archipelago of four islands located in the Arabian Sea, the largest island of which is also known as Socotra. The territory
219-984: A fruit is a ripened ovary or carpel that contains seeds, e.g., an orange, pomegranate, tomato or a pumpkin. A nut is a type of fruit (and not a seed), and a seed is a ripened ovule . In culinary language, a fruit is the sweet- or not sweet- (even sour-) tasting produce of a specific plant (e.g., a peach, pear or lemon); nuts are hard, oily, non-sweet plant produce in shells ( hazelnut , acorn ). Vegetables , so-called, typically are savory or non-sweet produce ( zucchini , lettuce, broccoli, and tomato). but some may be sweet-tasting (sweet potato). Examples of botanically classified fruit that are typically called vegetables include cucumber , pumpkin , and squash (all are cucurbits ); beans , peanuts , and peas (all legumes ); and corn , eggplant , bell pepper (or sweet pepper), and tomato. Many spices are fruits, botanically speaking, including black pepper , chili pepper , cumin and allspice . In contrast, rhubarb
292-564: A risk factor for cardiovascular diseases . Fruit consumption is under preliminary research for the potential to improve nutrition and affect chronic diseases. Regular consumption of fruit is generally associated with reduced risks of several diseases and functional declines associated with aging. For food safety , the CDC recommends proper fruit handling and preparation to reduce the risk of food contamination and foodborne illness . Fresh fruits and vegetables should be carefully selected; at
365-467: A symbiotic relationship that is the means for seed dispersal for the one group and nutrition for the other; humans, and many other animals, have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. Consequently, fruits account for a substantial fraction of the world's agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate ) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings. In common language and culinary usage, fruit normally means
438-450: A blackberry is an aggregate-accessory fruit, and an apple is a simple-accessory fruit. Seedlessness is an important feature of some fruits of commerce. Commercial cultivars of bananas and pineapples are examples of seedless fruits . Some cultivars of citrus fruits (especially grapefruit , mandarin oranges , navel oranges , satsumas ), table grapes , and of watermelons are valued for their seedlessness. In some species, seedlessness
511-500: A different meaning 'of a dark red color'. This derivation may have originated from pomum granatum , describing the color of pomegranate pulp, or from granum , referring to 'red dye, cochineal '. The modern French term for pomegranate, grenade , has given its name to the military grenade . Pomegranates were colloquially called wineapples or wine-apples in Ireland, although this term has fallen out of use. It still persists at
584-463: A distinctive overall form. Pomegranates are drought -tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they can be prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They can tolerate moderate frost , down to about −12 °C (10 °F). Insect pests of the pomegranate can include the butterflies Virachola isocrates , Iraota timoleon , Deudorix epijarbas , and
657-522: A head, is produced first. After fertilization , each flower in the cluster develops into a drupe; as the drupes expand, they develop as a connate organ, merging into a multiple fleshy fruit called a syncarp . Progressive stages of multiple flowering and fruit development can be observed on a single branch of the Indian mulberry, or noni . During the sequence of development, a progression of second, third, and more inflorescences are initiated in turn at
730-624: A limited supply from Southern California . China was self-sufficient for its pomegranate supply in 2019, while other South Asia markets were supplied mainly by India. Pomegranate production and exports in South Africa competed with South American shipments in 2012–18, with export destinations including Europe, the Middle East , the United Kingdom , and Russia. South Africa imports pomegranates mainly from Israel. The pomegranate
803-462: A natural sweet and tart flavor. Dried seeds can be used in several culinary applications, such as trail mix , granola bars, or as a topping for salad, yogurt, or ice cream. In Turkey, pomegranate sauce ( Turkish : nar ekşisi ) is used as a salad dressing, to marinate meat, or simply to drink straight. Pomegranate seeds are also used in salads and sometimes as garnish for desserts such as güllaç . Pomegranate syrup, also called pomegranate molasses,
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#1732772347178876-644: A new plant some distance away from the parent. Other fruits have evolved flattened and elongated wings or helicopter-like blades, e.g., elm , maple , and tuliptree . This mechanism increases dispersal distance away from the parent via wind. Other wind-dispersed fruit have tiny " parachutes ", e.g., dandelion , milkweed , salsify . Coconut fruits can float thousands of miles in the ocean, thereby spreading their seeds. Other fruits that can disperse via water are nipa palm and screw pine . Some fruits have evolved propulsive mechanisms that fling seeds substantial distances – perhaps up to 100 m (330 ft) in
949-680: A number of different forms from a wide range of families, including carrot , parsnip , parsley , cumin . An aggregate fruit is also called an aggregation, or etaerio ; it develops from a single flower that presents numerous simple pistils . Each pistil contains one carpel ; together, they form a fruitlet. The ultimate (fruiting) development of the aggregation of pistils is called an aggregate fruit , etaerio fruit , or simply an etaerio . Different types of aggregate fruits can produce different etaerios, such as achenes, drupelets, follicles, and berries. Some other broadly recognized species and their etaerios (or aggregations) are: The pistils of
1022-442: A prominent pointed terminal projection is said to be beaked . A fruit results from the fertilizing and maturing of one or more flowers. The gynoecium , which contains the stigma-style-ovary system, is centered in the flower-head, and it forms all or part of the fruit. Inside the ovary(ies) are one or more ovules . Here begins a complex sequence called double fertilization : a female gametophyte produces an egg cell for
1095-404: A single flower with numerous pistils typically produces an aggregate fruit ; and the merging of several flowers, or a 'multiple' of flowers, results in a 'multiple' fruit. A simple fruit is further classified as either dry or fleshy. To distribute their seeds, dry fruits may split open and discharge their seeds to the winds, which is called dehiscence . Or the distribution process may rely upon
1168-423: A thick sauce made from pomegranate juice and ground walnuts , usually spooned over duck or other poultry and rice, and in ash-e anar ( pomegranate soup ). Pomegranate seeds are used as a spice known as anar dana (from Persian : anar + dana , pomegranate + seed), most notably in Indian and Pakistani cuisine . Dried whole seeds can often be obtained in ethnic Indian markets. These seeds are separated from
1241-540: Is accepting the representatives of all the subordinate lands of Greater Iran to his presence, while holding a large flower in his hand as a sign of peace and friendship. Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. It was referred to by the Semitic names of jnhm or nhm . According to the Ebers Papyrus , one of the oldest medical writings from around 1500 BC, Egyptians used
1314-586: Is also extensively grown in southern China and in Southeast Asia, whether originally spread along the route of the Silk Road or brought by sea traders. Kandahar is famous in Afghanistan for its high-quality pomegranates. Although not native to Korea or Japan, the pomegranate is widely grown there and many cultivars have been developed. It is widely used for bonsai because of its flowers and for
1387-518: Is also made into a liqueur , and as a popular fruit confectionery used as ice cream topping, mixed with yogurt , or spread as jam on toast. In Mexico, pomegranate seeds are commonly used to adorn the traditional dish chiles en nogada , representing the red of the Mexican flag in the dish which evokes the green (poblano pepper), white ( nogada sauce) and red (pomegranate seeds) tricolor. Pomegranate peels may be used to stain wool and silk in
1460-577: Is native to a region from modern-day Iran to northern India. Pomegranates have been cultivated throughout the Middle East, India, and Mediterranean region for several millennia, and it is also cultivated in the Central Valley of California and in Arizona. Pomegranates may have been domesticated as early as the fifth millennium BC, as they were one of the first fruit trees to be domesticated in
1533-417: Is often called a fruit when used in making pies , but the edible produce of rhubarb is actually the leaf stalk or petiole of the plant. Edible gymnosperm seeds are often given fruit names, e.g., ginkgo nuts and pine nuts . Botanically, a cereal grain, such as corn , rice , or wheat is a kind of fruit (termed a caryopsis ). However, the fruit wall is thin and fused to the seed coat, so almost all
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#17327723471781606-565: Is part of Yemen. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. P. granatum has more than 500 named cultivars , but evidently has considerable synonymy in which the same genotype is named differently across regions of the world. Several characteristics between pomegranate genotypes vary for identification, consumer preference, preferred use, and marketing, the most important of which are fruit size, exocarp color (ranging from yellow to purple, with pink and red most common), seed-coat color (ranging from white to red),
1679-813: Is pressed for olive oil and similar processing is applied to other oil-bearing fruits and vegetables. Some fruits are available all year round, while others (such as blackberries and apricots in the UK) are subject to seasonal availability. Fruits are also used for socializing and gift-giving in the form of fruit baskets and fruit bouquets . Typically, many botanical fruits – "vegetables" in culinary parlance – (including tomato, green beans, leaf greens, bell pepper, cucumber, eggplant, okra, pumpkin, squash, zucchini) are bought and sold daily in fresh produce markets and greengroceries and carried back to kitchens, at home or restaurant, for preparation of meals. All fruits benefit from proper post-harvest care, and in many fruits,
1752-522: Is the result of parthenocarpy , where fruits set without fertilization. Parthenocarpic fruit-set may (or may not) require pollination, but most seedless citrus fruits require a stimulus from pollination to produce fruit. Seedless bananas and grapes are triploids , and seedlessness results from the abortion of the embryonic plant that is produced by fertilization, a phenomenon known as stenospermocarpy , which requires normal pollination and fertilization. Variations in fruit structures largely depend on
1825-410: Is typically a syrup made just of sugar and commercially produced natural and artificial flavors, preservatives, and food coloring, or using substitute fruits (such as berries). Before tomatoes (a New World fruit) arrived in the Middle East, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses , and vinegar were widely used in many Iranian foods; this mixture still found in traditional recipes such as fesenjān ,
1898-485: Is used in muhammara , a roasted red pepper , walnut, and garlic spread popular in Syria and Turkey. In Greece, pomegranate is used in many recipes, including kollivozoumi , a creamy broth made from boiled wheat, pomegranates, and raisins , legume salad with wheat and pomegranate, traditional Middle Eastern lamb kebabs with pomegranate glaze, pomegranate eggplant relish, and avocado -pomegranate dip. Pomegranate
1971-505: The pericarp (fruit wall) is fleshy at maturity are termed fleshy simple fruits . Types of fleshy simple fruits, (with examples) include: Berries are a type of simple fleshy fruit that issue from a single ovary. (The ovary itself may be compound, with several carpels.) The botanical term true berry includes grapes, currants, cucumbers, eggplants (aubergines), tomatoes, chili peppers, and bananas, but excludes certain fruits that are called "-berry" by culinary custom or by common usage of
2044-719: The Moore Street open-air market, in central Dublin. The pomegranate is a shrub or small tree growing 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) high, with multiple spiny branches. It is long-lived, with some specimens in France surviving for 200 years. P. granatum leaves are opposite or subopposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 – 2 + 3 ⁄ 4 in) long and 2 cm ( 3 ⁄ 4 in) broad. The flowers are bright red and 3 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 in) in diameter, with three to seven petals. Some fruitless varieties are grown for
2117-603: The modes of dispersal applied to their seeds. Dispersal is achieved by wind or water, by explosive dehiscence , and by interactions with animals. Some fruits present their outer skins or shells coated with spikes or hooked burrs; these evolved either to deter would-be foragers from feeding on them or to serve to attach themselves to the hair, feathers, legs, or clothing of animals, thereby using them as dispersal agents. These plants are termed zoochorous ; common examples include cocklebur , unicorn plant , and beggarticks (or Spanish needle) . By developments of mutual evolution,
2190-434: The raspberry are called drupelets because each pistil is like a small drupe attached to the receptacle. In some bramble fruits, such as blackberry , the receptacle, an accessory part, elongates and then develops as part of the fruit, making the blackberry an aggregate-accessory fruit. The strawberry is also an aggregate-accessory fruit, of which the seeds are contained in the achenes . Notably in all these examples,
2263-412: The (deposited) pollen through the stigma down the style into the ovary to the ovule. Two sperm are transferred from the pollen to a megagametophyte. Within the megagametophyte, one sperm unites with the egg, forming a zygote , while the second sperm enters the central cell forming the endosperm mother cell, which completes the double fertilization process. Later, the zygote will give rise to the embryo of
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2336-592: The English Quaker Peter Collinson wrote to the botanizing John Bartram in Philadelphia , 1762. "Plant it against the side of thy house, nail it close to the wall. In this manner it thrives wonderfully with us, and flowers beautifully, and bears fruit this hot year. I have twenty-four on one tree... Doctor Fothergill says, of all trees this is most salutiferous to mankind." The pomegranate had been introduced as an exotic to England
2409-539: The FDA issued a warning letter to one such manufacturer, POM Wonderful , for using published literature to make illegal claims of unproven anti-disease effects. In May 2016, the US Federal Trade Commission declared that POM Wonderful could not make health claims in its advertising, followed by a US Supreme Court ruling that declined a request by POM Wonderful to review the court ruling, upholding
2482-689: The FTC decision. Pomegranate, known as anār in Persian , is a symbol of fertility, blessing and favor in Iranian belief. Pomegranates are sacred in the Zoroastrian religion and Zoroastrians used it in their religious rituals. The yellow color of the pomegranate stamens symbolizes the sun and light. Pomegranate tree has been one of the most sacred and holiest plants in Iran and is believed to be grown from
2555-502: The acidic ellagitannins contained in the juice. Pomegranate juice has long been a common drink in Europe and the Middle East, and is distributed worldwide. Pomegranate juice is also used as a cooking ingredient. In Syria, pomegranate juice is added to intensify the flavor of some dishes such as kibbeh safarjaliyeh . Grenadine syrup, commonly used in cocktail , originally consisted of thickened and sweetened pomegranate juice, but today
2628-408: The attachment of other floral parts – there are parts (including petals, sepals, and stamens) that fuse with the ovary and ripen with it. For such a case, when floral parts other than the ovary form a significant part of the fruit that develops, it is called an accessory fruit . Examples of accessory fruits include apple, rose hip, strawberry, and pineapple. Because several parts of the flower besides
2701-459: The carpet industry. The edible portion of raw pomegranate is 78% water, 19% carbohydrates , 2% protein , and 1% fat (table). A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of pomegranate sarcotesta provides 12% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C , 16% DV for vitamin K , and 10% DV for folate (table). Pomegranate seeds are a rich source of dietary fiber (20% DV) which is entirely contained in
2774-890: The case of the sandbox tree – via explosive dehiscence or other such mechanisms (see impatiens and squirting cucumber ). A cornucopia of fruits – fleshy (simple) fruits from apples to berries to watermelon; dry (simple) fruits including beans and rice and coconuts; aggregate fruits including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pawpaw; and multiple fruits such as pineapple, fig, mulberries – are commercially valuable as human food. They are eaten both fresh and as jams, marmalade and other fruit preserves . They are used extensively in manufactured and processed foods (cakes, cookies, baked goods, flavorings, ice cream, yogurt, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables and meals) and beverages such as fruit juices and alcoholic beverages (brandy, fruit beer , wine). Spices like vanilla, black pepper, paprika, and allspice are derived from berries. Olive fruit
2847-490: The decay and degradation of the fruit to expose the seeds; or it may rely upon the eating of fruit and excreting of seeds by frugivores – both are called indehiscence . Fleshy fruits do not split open, but they also are indehiscent and they may also rely on frugivores for distribution of their seeds. Typically, the entire outer layer of the ovary wall ripens into a potentially edible pericarp . Types of dry simple fruits, (with examples) include: Fruits in which part or all of
2920-535: The eastern Mediterranean region. Carbonized exocarp of the fruit has been identified in early Bronze Age levels of Tell es-Sultan (Jericho) in the West Bank , as well as late Bronze Age levels of Hala Sultan Tekke on Cyprus and Tiryns . A large, dry pomegranate was found in the tomb of Djehuty , the butler of Queen Hatshepsut in Egypt; Mesopotamian records written in cuneiform mention pomegranates from
2993-401: The edible grain-fruit is actually a seed. The outer layer, often edible, of most fruits is called the pericarp . Typically formed from the ovary, it surrounds the seeds; in some species, however, other structural tissues contribute to or form the edible portion. The pericarp may be described in three layers from outer to inner, i.e., the epicarp , mesocarp and endocarp . Fruit that bears
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3066-417: The edible seeds. The phenolic content of pomegranate juice is degraded by processing and pasteurization techniques. The most abundant phytochemicals in pomegranate juice are polyphenols , including the hydrolyzable tannins called ellagitannins formed when ellagic acid and gallic acid bind with a carbohydrate to form pomegranate ellagitannins , also known as punicalagins . The red color of
3139-532: The flesh, dried for 10–15 days, and used as an acidic agent for chutney and curry preparation. Ground anardana is also used, which results in a deeper flavoring in dishes and prevents the seeds from getting stuck in teeth. Seeds of the wild pomegranate variety known as daru from the Himalayas are regarded as high-quality sources for this spice. Dried pomegranate seeds, found in some natural specialty food markets, still contain some residual water, maintaining
3212-477: The fleshy produce of fruits typically appeals to hungry animals, such that the seeds contained within are taken in, carried away, and later deposited (i.e., defecated ) at a distance from the parent plant. Likewise, the nutritious, oily kernels of nuts typically motivate birds and squirrels to hoard them, burying them in soil to retrieve later during the winter of scarcity; thereby, uneaten seeds are sown effectively under natural conditions to germinate and grow
3285-447: The flowers alone. The pomegranate fruit husk is red-purple in color with an outer, hard pericarp , and an inner, spongy mesocarp (white "albedo"), which comprises the fruit inner wall where seeds attach. Membranes of the mesocarp are organized as nonsymmetric chambers that contain seeds which are embedded without attachment to the mesocarp. Pomegranate seeds are characterized by having sarcotesta , thick fleshy seed coats derived from
3358-429: The fruit develops from a single flower, with numerous pistils. A multiple fruit is formed from a cluster of flowers, (a 'multiple' of flowers) – also called an inflorescence . Each ('smallish') flower produces a single fruitlet, which, as all develop, all merge into one mass of fruit. Examples include pineapple , fig , mulberry , Osage orange , and breadfruit . An inflorescence (a cluster) of white flowers, called
3431-422: The fruit far before it was introduced to Rome via Carthage , and it figures in multiple myths and artworks. In Ancient Greek mythology , the pomegranate was known as the "fruit of the dead", and believed to have sprung from the blood of Adonis . The myth of Persephone , the goddess of the underworld , prominently features her consumption of pomegranate seeds, requiring her to spend a certain number of months in
3504-416: The fruits develop, but they are not evolutionarily relevant as diverse plant taxa may be in the same group. While the section of a fungus that produces spores is called a fruiting body, fungi are members of the fungi kingdom and not of the plant kingdom . Simple fruits are the result of the ripening-to-fruit of a simple or compound ovary in a single flower with a single pistil . In contrast,
3577-567: The hardness of seed, maturity, juice content and its acidity, sweetness, and astringency . The leading producers globally are India and China, followed by Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, the US, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, and Spain. During 2019, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Israel, India, and Turkey supplied pomegranates to the European market. Chile was the main supplier to the United States market, which has
3650-419: The head of the branch or stem. Fruits may incorporate tissues derived from other floral parts besides the ovary, including the receptacle, hypanthium, petals, or sepals. Accessory fruits occur in all three classes of fruit development – simple, aggregate, and multiple. Accessory fruits are frequently designated by the hyphenated term showing both characters. For example, a pineapple is a multiple-accessory fruit,
3723-447: The integuments or outer layers of the ovule's epidermal cells . The number of seeds in a pomegranate can vary from 200 to about 1,400. Botanically, the fruit is a berry with edible seeds and pulp produced from the ovary of a single flower. The fruit is intermediate in size between a lemon and a grapefruit , 5–12 cm (2– 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) in diameter with a rounded shape and thick, reddish husk. In mature fruits,
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#17327723471783796-737: The juice is attributed to anthocyanins , such as delphinidin , cyanidin , and glycosides of pelargonidin . Generally, an increase in juice pigmentation occurs during fruit ripening. Pomegranate peel contains high amount of polyphenols, condensed tannins, catechins , and prodelphinidins . The higher phenolic content of the peel yields extracts for use in dietary supplements and food preservatives . Pomegranate seed oil contains punicic acid (65%), palmitic acid (5%), stearic acid (2%), oleic acid (6%), and linoleic acid (7%). Despite limited research data, manufacturers and marketers of pomegranate juice have liberally used results from preliminary research to promote products. In February 2010,
3869-469: The juice obtained by compressing the seeds yields a tart flavor due to low pH (4.4) and high contents of polyphenols , which may cause a red indelible stain on fabrics. The pigmentation of pomegranate juice primarily results from the presence of anthocyanins and ellagitannins . P. granatum is grown for its vegetable crop, and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. Mature specimens can develop sculptural twisted-bark, multiple trunks and
3942-496: The latter term meaning the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries . Numerous dry achenes are attached to the outside of the fruit-flesh; they appear to be seeds but each is actually an ovary of a flower, with a seed inside. Schizocarps are dry fruits, though some appear to be fleshy. They originate from syncarpous ovaries but do not actually dehisce ; rather, they split into segments with one or more seeds. They include
4015-503: The leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus zonatus , and fruit flies and ants are attracted to unharvested ripe fruit. Pomegranate grows easily from seed, but is commonly propagated from 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 in) hardwood cuttings to avoid the genetic variation of seedlings. Air layering is also an option for propagation, but grafting fails. P. granatum var. nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly planted as an ornamental plant in gardens and larger containers, and used as
4088-534: The mid-third millennium BC onwards. Waterlogged pomegranate remains have been identified at the circa 14th century BC Uluburun shipwreck off the coast of Turkey. Other goods on the ship include perfume, ivory and gold jewelry, suggesting that pomegranates at this time may have been considered a luxury good. Other archaeological finds of pomegranate remains from the Late Bronze Age have been found primarily in elite residences, supporting this inference. It
4161-497: The newly married couple to have a healthy child in the future. They also used to plant a pomegranate tree in their fire temples to use its leaves in their ceremonies. During the Iranian tradition, Yalda Night, people come together on winter solstice and eat pomegranate fruit to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. In a relief from Persepolis, Darius the Great is holding a pomegranate flower with two buds. This Achaemenid king
4234-445: The number of fertilized ovules. The pericarp typically is differentiated into two or three distinct layers; these are called the exocarp (outer layer, also called epicarp), mesocarp (middle layer), and endocarp (inner layer). In some fruits, the sepals , petals , stamens or the style of the flower fall away as the fleshy fruit ripens. However, for simple fruits derived from an inferior ovary – i.e., one that lies below
4307-548: The old French word for the fruit, pomme-grenade , the pomegranate was known in early English as apple of Grenada —a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons . This is a folk etymology , confusing the Latin granatus with the name of the Spanish city of Granada , which is derived from an unrelated Arabic word. Garnet derives from Old French grenat by metathesis , from Medieval Latin granatum as used in
4380-437: The ovary may contribute to the structure of a fruit, it is important to understand how a particular fruit forms. There are three general modes of fruit development: Consistent with the three modes of fruit development, plant scientists have classified fruits into three main groups: simple fruits, aggregate fruits, and multiple (or composite) fruits. The groupings reflect how the ovary and other flower organs are arranged and how
4453-614: The plant hormone ethylene causes ripening . Therefore, maintaining most fruits in an efficient cold chain is optimal for post-harvest storage, with the aim of extending and ensuring shelf life. Various culinary fruits provide significant amounts of fiber and water, and many are generally high in vitamin C . An overview of numerous studies showed that fruits (e.g., whole apples or whole oranges) are satisfying (filling) by simply eating and chewing them. The dietary fiber consumed in eating fruit promotes satiety , and may help to control body weight and aid reduction of blood cholesterol ,
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#17327723471784526-456: The pomegranate for treatment of tapeworm and other infections. A pomegranate is displayed on coins from Side , as Side was the name for pomegranate in the local language, which is the city's name. The ancient Greek city of Side was in Pamphylia , a former region on the southern Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Antalya province , Turkey). The Greeks were familiar with
4599-432: The poppy's narcotic capsule , with its comparable shape and chambered interior. Fruit In botany , a fruit is the seed -bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering (see Fruit anatomy ). Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propagated using the movements of humans and other animals in
4672-976: The previous century, by John Tradescant the Elder , but the disappointment that it did not set fruit there led to its repeated introduction to the American colonies, even New England. It succeeded in the South: Bartram received a barrel of pomegranates and oranges from a correspondent in Charleston , South Carolina, 1764. John Bartram partook of "delitious" pomegranates with Noble Jones at Wormsloe Plantation , near Savannah, Georgia , in September 1765. Thomas Jefferson planted pomegranates at Monticello in 1771; he had them from George Wythe of Williamsburg . Pomegranate juice can be sweet or sour , but most fruits are moderate in taste, with sour notes from
4745-401: The purpose of fertilization. (A female gametophyte is called a megagametophyte , and also called the embryo sac .) After double fertilization, the ovules will become seeds. Ovules are fertilized in a process that starts with pollination , which is the movement of pollen from the stamens to the stigma-style-ovary system within the flower-head. After pollination, a pollen tube grows from
4818-401: The seed, and the endosperm mother cell will give rise to endosperm , a nutritive tissue used by the embryo. As the ovules develop into seeds, the ovary begins to ripen and the ovary wall, the pericarp , may become fleshy (as in berries or drupes ), or it may form a hard outer covering (as in nuts). In some multi-seeded fruits, the extent to which a fleshy structure develops is proportional to
4891-504: The seed-associated fleshy structures (or produce) of plants that typically are sweet (or sour) and edible in the raw state, such as apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, oranges, and strawberries. In botanical usage, the term fruit also includes many structures that are not commonly called as such in everyday language, such as nuts, bean pods, corn kernels, tomatoes, and wheat grains. Many common language terms used for fruit and seeds differ from botanical classifications. For example, in botany,
4964-530: The spot where the blood of Siavash (the legendary Iranian character who is known for his innocence) and has been mentioned in Iranian Pahlavi scripts as a fruit of heaven. It is also believed that the invulnerability of Esfandiar (Iranian legend) was related to this sacred fruit. The Zoroastrians of Iran, believe that pomegranate is a blest fruit as it is served in their festivals like Mehregan and Nowruz, and especially in their wedding ceremonies to wish for
5037-730: The store, they should not be damaged or bruised; and precut pieces should be refrigerated or surrounded by ice. All fruits and vegetables should be rinsed before eating. This recommendation also applies to produce with rinds or skins that are not eaten. It should be done just before preparing or eating to avoid premature spoilage. Fruits and vegetables should be kept separate from raw foods like meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as from utensils that have come in contact with raw foods. Fruits and vegetables that are not going to be cooked should be thrown away if they have touched raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. All cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated within two hours. After
5110-417: The term – such as strawberries and raspberries. Berries may be formed from one or more carpels (i.e., from the simple or compound ovary) from the same, single flower. Seeds typically are embedded in the fleshy interior of the ovary. Examples include: The strawberry, regardless of its appearance, is classified as a dry, not a fleshy fruit. Botanically, it is not a berry ; it is an aggregate-accessory fruit,
5183-405: The underworld every year. The number of seeds and therefore months vary. During the months that Persephone sits on the throne of the underworld beside her husband Hades , her mother Demeter mourned and no longer gave fertility to the earth. This was an ancient Greek explanation for the seasons . According to Carl A. P. Ruck and Danny Staples , the chambered pomegranate is also a surrogate for
5256-516: The unusual twisted bark the older specimens can attain. The term "balaustine" ( Latin : balaustinus ) is also used for a pomegranate-red color. Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and America ( Spanish America ). However, in the English colonies , it was less at home: "Don't use the pomegranate inhospitably, a stranger that has come so far to pay his respects to thee,"
5329-914: Was introduced into Spanish America in the late 16th century and into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. It is widely cultivated throughout West Asia and Caucasus region, South Asia , Central Asia , north and tropical Africa, the drier parts of Southeast Asia , and the Mediterranean Basin . The fruit is typically in season in the Southern Hemisphere from March to May, and in the Northern Hemisphere from September to February. Pomegranate and juice are variously used in baking, cooking, juice blends, garnishes , non-alcoholic drinks, and cocktails . The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum 'apple' and grānātum 'seeded'. Possibly stemming from
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