Jazz up your next trailmix or spinach salad with these little sweet-tart deep red beauties....organic, low-temp dried pomegranate seeds! Perfectly crunchy, they’re high in vitamin C and potassium, a good source of fiber and low in calories.

Pomegranate has high levels of three different types of polyphenols, a potent form of antioxidants. The three types - tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid - are present in many fruits, but pomegranates contain particularly high amounts of all three. These antioxidants are credited with aiding in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.

Pomegranate’s History (more interesting than you’d think)

A Persian native, the pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits known to man. Originally thought to be native to China, pomegranates were actually brought to China about 100 BC by Han dynasty representative, Jang Qian, who also introduced coriander, walnuts, peas, cucumbers, alfalfa, grapes and caraway seeds to the Far East.

The Romans called it the Punic apple. The pomegranate made its way to Italy via Carthage (Punic), and therein lies the root of its Latin name, Punicum malum (apple). Its current botanical name is Punicum granatum with Punicum recognizing Carthage as a focal point for pomegranate cultivation and granatum referring to the many seeds or grains in the fruit.

Many Italian Renaissance fabrics boasted the pattern of cut pomegranates. Ancient Romans not only enjoyed the succulent flesh of this fruit. Due to the high amount of tannic acid in the skins, they also used the skins in the process of tanning leather. Perhaps due to the fruit's princely blossom crown, it has gained distinction as a royal fruit. Chaucer, Shakespeare and Homer have all extolled the virtues of the pomegranate in literature.

It was the Moors who brought the seedy fruit to Spain round 800 AD. Granada was named for the pomegranate, which became their national emblem. The first pomegranate planted in Britain was by King Henry VIII.

The French named their hand-tossed explosive a grenade after the seed-scattering properties of the pomegranate fruit. And in 1791, the special troops formed by the French military to wield these grenades were called grenadiers.

The pomegranate reached American shores by way of the Spanish conquistadors, and has slowly but steadily gained in popularity.