Janie Boschma

Any health conscious person is aware of the value of antioxidants. Antioxidants are widely used because they are helpful in preventing cancer. In the world of science they call antioxidants ‘scavengers.’ They neutralize unwanted cells and may help in the prevention of cell and tissue damage that is often linked to disease.

Dark green, leafy vegetables; blueberries and red wine have continually been at the top of the antioxidant list. However, for the past five years a seldom recognized fruit has been slowly making its way onto the scene.

The pomegranate has become increasingly easier to find. Teas, juices, liquors and even custards have all found ways to incorporate the pomegranate.

In addition to being an antioxidant alternative, the pomegranate is also a good source of Vitamin C and potassium. When it’s combined with green tea, the benefits are hard to ignore. One bottle of Arizona Pomegranate Green Tea provides the drinker with a full day’s worth of Vitamin C. Not only that, but if there is a little ginseng in there, you’ll reap both the health benefits and a slight increase in energy. The downfall of this particular drink is the artificial ingredients that have been added to alter the pomegranate’s sweetness.

Arizona is relatively new to the pomegranate market, but POM Wonderful has been taking advantage of the fruit for almost five years. POM Wonderful juices, unlike some of Arizona’s, are 100 percent natural. There is no high-fructose corn syrup involved and this makes the POM Wonderful juices better than good for you – at $4.99 for a small bottle, it should be beyond good. Since antioxidants also play a role in preventing damages brought on by aging, the lack of artificial sweeteners in POM Wonderful juices is even more important for a healthy body.

Men’s Health magazine recently included the pomegranate on a list of “The 10 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating,” including a strong endorsement for the power of POM Wonderful juice.

It isn’t just juice climbing on board the pomegranate wagon. Kopp’s, a custard place in Brookfield, Wis., featured the newest antioxidant trend as its newest flavor.

Brookfield is my hometown and I’ve grown up with Kopp’s custard. I know all of their flavors and have sampled each one at least once. When I saw ‘pomegranate’ on the list I couldn’t miss it. I had seen so many positive advertisements for pomegranates. I love the juices and teas. I have been telling everyone I know about how good pomegranate is. I was definitely not expecting to see it on the frozen custard flavor list at Kopp’s. But there it was in all of its smooth, pink, antioxidant glory. Like most custard flavors I’ve tried, the pomegranate was delicious.

Custard isn’t the only thing that surprised me. The increase in pomegranate flavored alcoholic beverages was also worth noticing.

I have not been to a restaurant in recent months that did not include a pomegranate-based drink on their menu. Usually it was mixed with some sort of rum, gin or vodka. The pomegranate martini was the one that seemed to appear on the most menus. I haven’t yet sampled any alcoholic beverage with a pomegranate flavor, but judging by the deliciousness of the juice and the custard, I can only hope a cocktail will be just as good.

No matter how good the cocktail or the custard, I will remain loyal to the juice. It tastes fantastic and it’s full of all of the little things that a healthy body wants.

Pomegranate is a great addition to the world of juice flavors. The price of $5 for a small bottle of POM Wonderful is a lot compared to that of other juices in similar packaging. You’re ultimately paying for the better health of your body. However, there are other ways to give pomegranate a try without regretting the purchase of an overpriced juice. I recommend the Arizona Pomegranate Green Tea (99 cents a bottle). You can’t rule it out completely until you’ve tried it. So give it a try; drink to your health.

Downes is a junior creative writing major and guest columnist for The Spectator.