Recently it’s shot back into popularity in the UK, hailed as a superfood, but pomegranate can be traced back as far as the Bronze Age.

The history

The Bible talks of pomegranate as one of the seven fruits to bless Israel, and some say that Eve gave Adam a pomegranate but the Old Testament text was mistranslated as apple.

The name pomegranate does indeed derive from Latin pomum (apple) and granatus (seeded), and in German it’s called Granatapfel (seeded apple), while in France it’s ‘la grenade’. It’s from French that we have the word grenadine, the syrup made from pomegranates used as a cordial and in cocktails.

Around the Mediterranean the pomegranate has thrived for several millennia, as confirmed by remains identified in digs of Bronze Age sites. In Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia wild pomegranate groves still survive outside ancient abandoned settlements, and it remains one of the symbols of Armenia, representing fertility, abundance, and marriage.

In many cultures pomegranates feature in traditions, literature and art. Perhaps the most famous is the Greek myth of Zeus and Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, whose kidnapping by Hades into the Underworld caused Demeter to stop all plants growing until her daughter’s safe return. Zeus decreed that as long as Persephone hadn’t eaten in the Underworld, she could be freed.

However, Persephone had sucked on seven pomegranate seeds, so it was decided she could live on earth for nine months, spending the other three in the Underworld when Demeter would once again stop plants growing – and so came the season of winter.

Closer to home, two of Henry VIII’s wives had pomegranates on their coat of arms – his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, had the fruit as an emblem, while her successor, Anne Boleyn, had a new coat of arms showing a white falcon pecking at a pomegranate.

The plant

The deciduous pomegranate shrub, or small tree, can reach five to eight metres high. With branches often tipped with sharp spines, the plant’s glossy narrow oblong leaves act as a backdrop for the brilliant red flowers and ruby red fruit that can look like Christmas baubles. This fruit has attracted great attention as a superfood, rich as it is in vitamin C, vitamin B5, potassium and antioxidant polyphenols.

Each fruit contains roughly 600 edible seeds surrounded by white to deep red pulp, and combined these are called arils. Many national cuisines include pomegranates. In India and Pakistan the seeds – often dried, and sometimes ground – are used in chutney and curries. In many Mediterranean countries pomegranate sauce is used to marinade meat, to flavour dips and salad dressings, to top ice cream or yogurt, even spread on toast.

Tip: Eating fresh pomegranates can be tricky. To make it easier, score the skin with a knife and break open. Submerge the fruit in a bowl of cool water for a few minutes. Some seeds will break off and sink. Gently urge the rest.

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Cultivation for Weleda

The pomegranate harvest in October sees whole families taking part. Remci Genç, his wife Ülkü and their daughter and two sons are among 50 families practising organic agriculture in the valley of Karahacili. This green and fertile basin has fruit trees everywhere, mainly pomegranate, but also lemons, oranges, apricots and figs. The valley is protected by a mountainous belt rising 1,000m behind the coastal town of Mersin, and has mild winters.

Remci – who’s part of a fair trade farming partnership with Weleda – prunes the trees on his 25 hectares to around 2m high every year, but by harvest the abundant growth means it’s still often necessary to climb to reach the highest branches.

Harvesting begins just after dawn, and the fruit hand picked with the help of a knife. The family works flat out to fill over 100 crates before midday, then tractors pull trailers laden with fruit down the small dusty tracks. The precious fruits are then taken to Nigde, in the region of Cappadocia, where the pomegranates are first peeled by machine before the juice is pressed. Just a small proportion of the crop then passes through to the drying shed.

After drying, the seeds are sent to Germany to be cold pressed, to extract the valuable oil. To produce just 1kg of the precious oil requires 500kg of pomegranates. As Weleda currently requires 1500 kilos of the oil each year, that means using 300 tonnes of fresh fruit which helps ensure farmers like Remci and his family have a reliable income.

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New ways to stay fab after 40

Skin changes throughout our life, and rather than stick with the same skincare routine it’s wise to rethink it around each decade to keep skin looking healthily radiant.

Each stage of life brings different joys and challenges. In anthroposophic medicine and Weleda’s philosophy those stages are viewed in seven-year cycles that change us physically - including our skin - but also psychologically and emotionally, with years adding experience, awareness and spirituality.

Our early 40s is the time we often start reflecting on our life experiences, many of us for instance start researching our family trees. It’s also a period for personal change, maybe more freedom, particularly for parents whose children become more independent. For women approaching 50 many report less stressing about the small stuff, and enjoying the wealth of experience they’ve gained.

Skin, too, goes through changes. But after 40 a woman’s beauty doesn’t solely depend on the condition of her skin, it shines through from an inner beauty that grows as we become more confident, perceptive, savvy. Our skin doesn’t have to reveal our age as defined in years; instead it can radiate with the vitality we feel within.

Our skin does need additional nourishment in our 40s and 50s though. Skin cell renewal and regeneration takes longer than in our 30s. Our peripheral circulation decreases so it becomes harder for inner nourishment to reach the epidermis. Skin becomes drier and more sensitive to irritation, so we need to work with those changes and rethink our skincare routine.

Weleda specialises in skincare ranges to suit different life stages, and the new Pomegranate range has been specially formulated to meet our skin’s needs in our 40s and 50s. By supporting the skin with the powerful nutrients from pomegranate, regular use can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, help firm the skin, deeply moisturise, improve elasticity and smooth skin tone.

The natural fragrance has been designed to hit a sophisticated note, subtly sensual, feminine and warming. Essential oil of davana lends an exotic, oriental character, together with mellow base notes of sandalwood and neroli.

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NEW Pomegranate Firming Facial Care

Weleda's Pomegranate Firming Facial Care is a reinvigorating skincare system created for maturing skin aged 40+. The organic cold-pressed pomegranate seed, argan and borage oils are rich in antioxidants. With daily use the skin becomes firmer and smoother, wrinkles and lines become less apparent.

•  Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

•  Firms and tightens

•  Aids active skin regeneration processes

Dermatological tests have proven significant reduction in the depth of wrinkles by up to 35% after using the Weleda Pomegranate Firming Facial Care (see below for individual results).

Pomegranate Firming Day Cream (30ml) is highly effective at reducing the depth of wrinkles and improving skin elasticity. The powerful formula stimulates cell renewal to reveal a clearer, more even skin.

- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

- Helps tauten the skin

- Improves elasticity and resilience

Dermatological test shown that after 28 days of use depth of wrinkles reduced by 14%* and skin elasticity improved by 11%**

*Measurement of depth of wrinkles with PRIMOS, test with 20 subjects in 2009 ages 41-70 years.

**Measurement of skin elasticity with a cutometer, test with 20 subjects in 2009 ages 41-70 years.

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Pomegranate Firming Night Cream (30ml) gives the skin an extra boost during the night when the skin’s cell renewal and repair processes are accelerated. The skin receives intensive hydration and nourishment throughout the night, leaving it looking rested, soft and smooth in the morning.

- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

- Aids active cell renewal

- Improves elasticity and resilience

Dermatological test shown that after 28 days of use depth of wrinkles reduced by 35%***.

*** Measurement of depth of wrinkles with PRIMOS, test with 21 subjects in 2009 ages 42-69 years.

Pomegranate Firming Serum (30ml) gives mature skin a regenerating boost of nutrients. The skin receives intensive hydration, making it feel soft and smooth all day/night.

- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

- Instant intensive moisturising action

- Improves elasticity and resilience

Dermatological tests shown that after 28 days of use depth of wrinkles reduced by 29%* and skin moisture levels increased by 39%**.

*Measurement of depth of wrinkles with PRIMOS, test with 20 subjects between 41 – 65 years of age, application of the product twice daily for 28 days.

**Measurement of skin moisture with a corneometer, test with 23 subjects between 41 – 70 years of age, 30 minutes after application.

Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream (10ml) is a gentle, but effective companion to help regenerate skins natural ageing process. It helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles, tautens the skin and reactivates skin regeneration.

- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles

- Opthamologically tested, can be used with contact lenses

- Fragrance-free

Dermatological tests shown that after 28 days of use depth of wrinkles reduced by 23%*.

*Measurement of depth of wrinkles with PRIMOS, test with 22 subjects in 2009, age: 41 - 69 years

Pomegranate Regenerating Body Care

Dermatological tests on Weleda Pomegranate Body Care confirm the following benefits:

•  stimulates skin regeneration and improves firmness and elasticity

•  body oil can increase skin moisture by around 11% over four weeks

•  hand cream can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles

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Protect and preserve

Help regenerate and maintain skin radiance with our Pomegranate 3-step action plan