The first ever memory of anything related to anardana or pomegranate is possibly in the form of churan (a digestive usually taken after meals) or goli (small round tablets), which were so yum you could not stop at one and were usually told by elders to stop eating in order to avoid indigestion. Well, by now, you must have understood that in India, anything that tastes extremely good is actually packed with benefits we probably cannot think of. Pakore, for instance, are deep-fried yet they have spices like cumin, hing, turmeric that help a lot in boosting immunity especially during monsoon season. In the same way, anardana, in any form, is highly beneficial for the body (of course, in small quantities). Let's see what these benefits are and how you can make the most of anardana.
1. Benefits of Anardana Powder
Anardana or Punica granatum, in any form (powdered or seed) has some amazing health benefits for the body. It has low calories, nutrients like Vitamin C and K. It is enriched with fiber, folate and potassium.
- Fights bacterial infections- Anardana has anti-bacterial properties, which helps in inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and can also cure minor diseases cause by bacteria.
- Maintains heart health- It helps in decreasing the levels of bad cholesterol and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol). Consuming pomegranate may reduce the formation of plaque in arteries, keeping the heart healthy.
- Slows down the process of ageing- Regular consumption of pomegranate in limited quantities slows down the process of DNA oxidation, which means it can work as an anti-ageing agent.
- Helps in digestion- Anardana has anti-inflammatory properties and being a good source of dietary fibers, it boosts the digestion process.
- Maintains dental health- Pomegranate is known to reduce the dental plague, which is one of the main reasons behind bad breath. The anti-bacterial properties also help in killing the bacteria and ensuring good gum health.
2. How to include Anardana Powder in your diet?
Anardana powder has a tangy flavour and can be added to curries, vegetables and dal to give that characteristic taste. Anardana powder forms an integral part of chole masala, but you can also replace it with tamarind and/or amchur in sambhar and gravies.
At Tassyam, we know how much everyone loves chatpata flavours in their daily meals, hence anardana is made available in varieties on our website. Tassyam Crushed Pomegranate seeds works great as an addition to chutneys, salads, breads and flavoured dips. We also experimented with anardana and kombucha and came up with So Fermata Artisanal Kombucha Anardana. It is perfectly tangy and gut-friendly. If you feel your meals need something sweet and tangy to be completed, try Tassyam Anardana Mango Bites made with zero chemicals and helps in boosting digestion.