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 Bodycare range has been specially formulated to meet our skin’s needs in our 40s and 50s.By supporting the skin with the powerful antioxidants from pomegranate, regular use can help firm and 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.

Dermatological tests on all three products confirm the following benefits:

•  all help protect the skin from free radicals, and thus premature ageing

•  all stimulate skin regeneration and improve firmness and elasticity

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

•  the hand cream can prevent the premature appearance of age spots and wrinkles

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