When the pomegranates are ready to harvest, it means fall is almost here. And I look forward to autumn with the crisp cool air.

These pomegranate might not look as pretty as the supermarket variety, but don’t let that fool you. Because these are one of the best pomegranate you’ll ever taste.

This particular variety, called Ambrosia has a very soft outer skin that makes it easy to break apart. And the seeds are very sweet. Not only are they sweet, but it’s also a little nutty in flavor.

Pomegranate have many health benefits since they have very high antioxidant levels. Besides being made into concentrated juices, pomegranate have also found their way to skincare lines.

Food wise, it’s commonly used in salads. The seeds, which are called arils come in a variety of color. From deep purple, ruby red, to a soft pink. The one I have here is light pink and jewel like. The juice reminds me of sugar cane.

Another autumn joy is when the pineapple guavas ripen next month. I am already thinking of homemade jams! Definitely one of life’s simple treats.

Just a few days of sunshine and we’re already eating popsicles out here in California.  But these are not ordinary fruit bars, they are made from superfruits such as acai, blueberry and pomegranate.

Dreyer’s new fruit bars are made with real fruit and are a great source of antioxidants which helps fight free radicals.  Superfruits have been hitting the market for years.  They include fruits that are high in vitamin C and are consider to be antioxidants.  It’s rare to see them made into popsicles, when they are usually sold as health supplements or juices.

These fruit bars don’t just sound good, but are good for you!  It is sweet, but is also tart and tangy too.  I especially prefer the acai and blueberry over the pomegranate.  I assume you can whip up some of these fruit bars yourself if you can get your hands on some acai berries.

There’s even elderberry juice included in the pomegranate bars.  I like that Dryer’s keep their ingredients good and avoid things like high fructose corn syrup.

Another new thing they are doing is helping communities grow more fruit trees.  You can visit their site and vote for a community park where fruit trees will be planted.  I voted for for Santa Rosa, Ca since it’s the closet park being selected that’s near me.  Communities with the most number of votes will receive a fruit tree orchard planted by Dreyer’s Fruit Bars.  They will announce 5 winners the first of each month, May 1 through Sept 1.

“Communities across the United States are ripe for renewal, ready to receive a complete fruit orchard provided by the Dreyer’s Fruit Bars brand and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Cast your vote for one of our Communities Take Root participants and help them reap the rewards of their own fresh fruit supply. “  Photo from Dreyer’s.

On top of that, Dryer’s also uses 100 % recycled paper board for it’s packaging.  Way to go Dryers!

Pomegranates are amongst one of the most popular superfruits. These superfruits are classified as fruits with very high antioxidant levels. They include blueberries, Acai berries, and goji berries. I remember years ago not many people heard of this fruit, let alone knew how to eat them. One summer I bought a huge pomegranate for my friend as a treat and she didn’t know how to eat it. The fruit ended up being part of her home decor.

Now you can find just the seeds (packaged in plastic containers) at the super market. It is commonly used in salads. The fruit itself consist of many small seeds. The colors range from white to deep red, and are called arils. I have found that the deeper the color, the more tangy the seeds. The ones my mom grows in her garden are very sweet. The skin is light red and the seeds are almost white to pink. It gets even sweeter when it ripes and the skin starts to crack a bit.

Just like the loquat fruit I mentioned earlier, the leaves of the pomegranate can also be used to make tea. The pomegranate leaf is narrow and glossy. You can use fresh leaves to make tea as well. Drinking tea made from the leaves also help with stomach disorder and digestive problems. A study came out in 2007 and was published in the International Journal of Obesity suggesting that the leaves of the pomegranate may also be a novel appetite suppressant. The same can be said for green tea as well. But you may have to drink at least 3 cups per day to get all the benefit of the tea.

This photo is taken from Mighty Leaf Tea of “Acai Pomegranate Black Tea” $9 for 4 oz. I think it’s very pricey, but it is premium whole leaf tea. Which many claim to have a fuller and better tasting cup of tea. I have yet to tell the difference!

“Made with black tea and superfruit Acai, this fruity and decaffeinated black tea blend combines antioxidant-rich pomegranate and Brazilian Açai (ah-sigh-ee) berries with rich black tea leaves. The tart notes of pomegranate are balanced by the slightly blueberry and chocolate notes of açai for a rejuvenating infusion. Açai berries, hailing from Brazil are known for possessing more antioxidants than pomegranates or blueberries and are also rich in omega fats.” - Mighty Leaf Tea Read the rest of this entry »