... Following on from all of this positive press, several new pomegranate products, particularly pomegranate juices, have recently made their way onto the supermarket shelves, and 'Pomegreat' is possibly the best known amongst them.
THE JUICE: I discovered Pomegreat last summer, and was ... Read review
Advantages: Healthy, Tasty, Full Of Vitamins & Anti-Oxidants Disadvantages: A Little More Costly Than Other Juices
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THE JUICE: I discovered Pomegreat last summer, and was instantly hooked. Usually sold in one litre cartons, 'Pomegreat' isn't really a juice at all, but rather, one of those so-called 'juice drinks', with added ingredients. You could certainly be forgiven for imagining, on the strength of the packaging at least, that you were purchasing a pomegranate juice. Alas, pomegranate juice actually only comprises 30% of the total ingredients. A further ... ...rich and yet refreshing. The Pomegreat website claims that in a recent trial, 91% of people who sampled the drink declared that they loved it. Frankly, I'm a little surprised by this statistic, because I would have assumed it was an acquired taste, due to its tartness. But then again, it isn't entirely dissimilar to Cranberry juice, another tart juice that is obviously very popular. Unlike Cranberry juice, however, this has a very complex and involved ... more
There was an old Pomegranate tree in our garden, when I was a child in Australia. It had been inexpertly pruned at some stage, and was a slightly untidy shape, but with its pale green leaves, and those rosy-yellow fruit suspended like huge, half-exploded seedpods, it really was beautiful. The fruit always dangled for several weeks in the summer, whilst the birds attended to them, and would then lay scattered in disarray on the lawn underneath. I admired the pomegranates, with their strange and mysterious form, and I was rather proud to have a Pomegranate tree, but I never really knew quite what to make of it. The tree itself wasn't suitable for climbing, and the fruit never seemed particularly suitable for eating. My mother would occasionally sprinkle the seeds on salads, but this habit, no doubt pilfered from some Elizabeth David tome or other, always seemed little more than a decorative gesture.
THE FRUIT: The Pomegranate is an especially unique and unusual fruit. After flowering it appears as a small, hard, ball, and then grows almost to the size of a grapefruit, with a little frilled crown at one end. Slowly, in the sunshine, it begins to open, splitting into several parts like a quartered orange, revealing the plump seeds within. These are a pale, creamy white at first, gradually becoming pink and then a deep shade of red when fully ripened. The Pomegranate's name is derived from this profusion of seeds, stemming from the Latin pomum granatum (apple of many seeds). The seeds themselves are comprised of a hard little pip encased in a small sack of juice. This juice is very rich, simultaneously sweet and sour, even bitter, and the flavour is absolutely distinctive.
THE HYPE: Long revered and mythologized in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, the Pomegranate has recently risen to prominence here, and now seems almost certain to usurp the Blueberry as the super fruit du jour. Food writer Nigel Slater, amongst others, has raved about the Pomegranate, with Slater professing to drink its juice by the gallon. Dishes featuring the Pomegranate, and recipes for such delights as Pomegranate ice cream are frequently appearing on restaurant menus and in fashionable cookery books. Furthermore, an array of spectacular claims has been made regarding its nutritional properties and health benefits. Following on from all of this positive press, several new pomegranate products, particularly pomegranate juices, have recently made their way onto the supermarket shelves, and 'Pomegreat' is possibly the best known amongst them.
THE JUICE: I discovered Pomegreat last summer, and was instantly hooked. Usually sold in one litre cartons, 'Pomegreat' isn't really a juice at all, but rather, one of those so-called 'juice drinks', with added ingredients. You could certainly be forgiven for imagining, on the strength of the packaging at least, that you were purchasing a pomegranate juice. Alas, pomegranate juice actually only comprises 30% of the total ingredients. A further 7% is Aronia Berry juice (hmmm…whatever that is) and the remainder consists of water, concentrated fruit extracts and natural flavourings.
When poured into a glass, the juice is a very attractive, deep red colour, a little redolent of cranberry juice. It has quite a strong, complex fragrance, rather zesty and very pleasant. Like the juice itself, the scent is both sweet and tart, a little like a just-ripe Cox apple, but with greater depth. It is difficult to describe without sounding a little foolish or pretentious, I'm no gourmand or connoisseur, and couldn't even describe a decent wine with any skill, but I suspect this drink rather defies description, as it is really completely unique. Essentially, I suppose, it smells mainly of pomegranates.
As to the taste, well, in my opinion it is decidedly unusual and quite simply delicious. The drink has great depth of flavour, simultaneously sweet and piquant, rich and yet refreshing. The Pomegreat website claims that in a recent trial, 91% of people who sampled the drink declared that they loved it. Frankly, I'm a little surprised by this statistic, because I would have assumed it was an acquired taste, due to its tartness. But then again, it isn't entirely dissimilar to Cranberry juice, another tart juice that is obviously very popular. Unlike Cranberry juice, however, this has a very complex and involved flavour, with a slightly bitter undertone and an intense aftertaste. In any event, it is extremely refreshing, especially when served ice-cold. I imagine it would probably make an excellent base for a summer cocktail, too.
Pomegreat juice is sold both in a litre carton, and smaller bottles. Other varieties include Pomegranate 100, a blend of pomegranate and grape juices, with each carton marketed as containing the juice of 10 whole pomegranates, a Pomegranate & Blueberry variety, as well as Pomegranate and Raspberry. I've tried the version with blueberries, and it is certainly very tasty, but I probably prefer the original version, which has a stronger and more distinctive flavour.
Pomegreat's packaging is much as it appears in the above picture, although it now has a slightly simpler design, and is mainly red and yellow in colour. The recyclable, Tetra-Pak cartons are slightly taller and narrower than usual for juice containers, making them a good size for fitting in the fridge without occupying too much space. Much is made on the packaging of Pomegranate's nutritional properties, and the fact that it is approved by the Heart UK charity, the insignia of which appears not only on the front, but also on the back and side of the carton. The juice is fortified with vitamins A, C and E and a 250ml glass contains 100% of the RDA of Folic Acid. Which brings us to…THE HEALTH BENEFITS: The Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians valued the pomegranate for its health-giving properties, and revered it as a symbol both of fertility and rebirth. According to Pomegreat's website, traditional uses for pomegranates include treatments for 'snakebites, burns, diabetes and leprosy'. The fresh fruit has also been used to lower fever, and the Chinese 'regard pomegranate juice as a longevity drug'. More recent scientific studies have uncovered uniquely beneficial compounds, found in the pomegranate's leaves, flesh, and flowers. The plant is exceptionally high in anti-oxidants, which help to protect the body against various cancers, as well as natural oestrogens. The juice can also help to lower cholesterol. In addition to these and other nutritional benefits, Pomegreat does not contain any added sugars, artificial sweeteners, colourings or flavourings, and is undoubtedly an exceptionally healthy drink. Pomegranates themselves may be difficult to source, and tricky to eat, so this juice-drink seems an easy and enjoyable way to gleam some of the fruits nutritional benefits.FINALLY… In Greek mythology, Persephone was condemned to spend part of each year with King Hades in the Underworld, as punishment for eating a few stolen seeds of the pomegranate. When I was about ten, I was chosen to play Persephone in a school play. As I recall I spent hours circling our old Pomegranate tree in the garden, searching for the most perfect specimen to compliment my role. I held it aloft in my one critical scene, pausing for effect before melodramatically nibbling on a couple of the bittersweet little seeds. Presumably to lend an air of antiquity to the performance, the play was held on the school lawn. Twenty little girls stood draped in their mother's best bed linen. It was a tragic scene, and Persephone's fate seemed an unfair and foolish exchange to me at the time, but I'm beginning to feel for her just a little more now, and to understand why she succumbed to that temptation… After all, Pomegranates really are absolutely delicious.
...try it for myself.
Pomegreat juice drink is available in 330ml bottles or slightly larger cartons, as pictured above. Because I was not sure if I would like it or not, I opted for a bottle of the juice first to find out, and this cost me 89p (Morrisons price). The drink is to be found in the soft drinks section of most supermarkets, alongside brands such as Ocean Spray and Fruit Shoots. You cannot mistake it as it comes in a clear, slim-like plastic ... ...the label tells us that Pomegreat is made from the finest pomegranates and is blended with fruit extract and other essential vitamins. The fruit extracts come from concentrated fruit juices and aronia berries (whatever they are!), and the essential vitamins are A, C, E and folic acid. A small logo at the bottom of the label tells us that the drink is also approved by the cholesterol charity, H.E.A.R.T UK. To be worthy of such a crest, the drink must ...
rowei 26.03.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice Drink
Advantages: Very nutritous, delicous sweet taste. Can fight heart diease. Disadvantages: a little pricey, only 30% pomegranate juice
...very good for you too. Pomegreat juice contains eight pomegranates and that is alot of wonderfully sweet and refreshing nutrition packed juice! Pomegreate is packed with antioxidants which help fight cholestrol which lead to heart attacks- clearly very good for you. pomegranate juice has nearly three times as many antioxidants as red wine and orange juice. (there goes your excuse for drinking wine!) one 250ml glass of Pomegreat provides: half the ... ...opinion pomegranate juice and indeed pomegreat is the best tasting juice. I love orange juice, but its very sharp and tangy, but pomegreat juice is more mellow yet the taste is very refreshing. It's also sweet but not too sweet. I can't drink orange juice really early in the morning because it's too sharp and makes me feel sick so if you're like me, pomegreat would be right for youideal because the flavour is not too bold its much more fresh and ...
fransdxxx 22.12.2006 (28.02.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice Drink
Advantages: Tasty, good for you, nice colour Disadvantages: expensive
...flavours so when I saw Pomegreat on sale it really caught my eye. The packaging is yellow and a kind of deep burgundy/red and manages to look both retro and modern and the same time. Upon further examination of the, (recyclable), carton I notice the logo for H.E.A.R.T. UK - The Cholesterol charity and "assumed" that the juice would help those with a cholesterol problem, (the other half recently had a test following his Dad's triple bypass operation ... ...with text), I discovered that Pomegreat made no specific claims about the benefits for your health or your cholesterol. I have looked at the website too and the closest you get to a claim of any health benefit is the line, "Recent scientific research has unveiled the incredible nutritional benefits of the pomegranate and has been thus called a Superfruit... This refers to the fact that this rare exotic fruit has exceptional nutrient richness, antioxidant ...
donnabroom 10.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice Drink
Advantages: Fruity , healthy , tasty , refreshing , long shelf life , vitamins etc Disadvantages: Could be a bit less pricey and maybe in another store .
...loopy but I bought this Pomegreat Super Juice drink not really sure whether I would like it or not . Pomegranate , the fruit , is a fruit more from my childhood than recently . At our local annual fair pomegranates have always been one of the traditional items for sale . As a child they just were such a pain to eat I soon abandoned them. Seeing this juice and looking at the claims made on the packaging I thought ' Well it will be good for me and ... ...RELEVANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS POMEGREAT JUICE DRINK .
Each 250 ml glass contains half your daily requirement of vitamins A ,C ,and E and has 110 calories . Fat content is negligible but carbohydrates and sugars are high . There are eight luscious pomegranates in every one litre carton . The carton cost £1.55 on special at my local Tesco Express but you would be able to buy it cheaper at a large supermarket .
Long shelf life as when I bought ...
grafter123 14.04.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice Drink
Advantages: Great for you Disadvantages: Pack is a bit thin, and flimsey
I dont normally go for these type of juice drinks, but one day we went to our mother in laws"who is veggie and very health consious" anyway we had our dinner"veggies",then she surved us this drink ".
It was pomegreat, the packaging looked fine, just like a carton of pure orange, but pomegrante juice, as a child i remember eating pomegranates with a pin, and i really liked them but they are very fiddley to eat with a pin, and if you bite poms, the ... ...form is really great, all round.
Anyway i tried the juice and it was great, 10 times better than one had expected, it tasted great.
The next time i went to the supermarket i got 4 cartons in a multi pack. for £2.99 nearly 75p a liter.
This juice is supp to be very good for you, it has anti oxidents and is good for blood pressure and the best thing of all is that it tastes great, it quite reasonablly priced "the same as orange juice" but much better ...
Craige0511 16.04.2008 (26.03.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Pomegreat Pomegranate Juice Drink
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Advantages: Smooth and no pips Disadvantages: A little expensive
I have always loved pomegranates and although they can be messy and tiresome to eat -with all those pips and the juices spitting out and dribbling down my chin - the pleasure of this lovely fruit is still there for me.
I had never really thought about drinkingpomegranatejuice until I went to Egypt where on baking hot days I was able to chill out drinking this lovely, freshly juiced fruit cold -while I lay sweating in the sun.
Visiting my local health shop I noticed a one litre carton of Pomegreat - This is the brand name for the Pomegranate and Blueberry juicedrink.
The carton is white, maroon and a royal blue it has a plastic opener with a silver seal tag underneath.
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Advantages: Fairly tasty, meant to be healthy Disadvantages: Smells a tiny bit like pot pourri
healthy benefit claims and nutritional information.
≈ Best before? ≈
I bought Pomegreat today (March 11th 2007), and it has a best before of the end of Feb 08.
≈ The claims ≈
The front of the carton has the following claims:-
Can keep your cholesterol healthy
Packed with antioxidant vitamins
Refreshing and delicious
Helps maintain heart health
It also claims that this is a "Super juicedrink".
On one side of the package it explains that Pomegranates have cholesterol reducing properties and that 8 pomegranates go into each 1 Litre carton.
≈ Opening the carton ≈
The carton has a screw top lid, which I am a relieved about. I am on of the most inept juice carton openers, and tend to leave a trail of devastation with each opening. Screw top lids do not prove as problematic for me, and this ...
Advantages: delicious to drink Disadvantages: none
I find now that more people are looking at what they eat and drinkmore carefully, buy reading the ingredients on the back of the products, and considering which would be more beneficial to our health. I am one of those people and I like to look around for drinks that have all the ingredients that are good for my health. Recently I was watching a morning programme on the television about health drinks, and the one that came top from the range of drink products they were showing was the pomegranate and blueberry juicedrink, I have to confess I had never before heard of this particular drink so I went to my local Asda store and looked around the fruit drinks until I found it on the top shelf, it was a long oblong box , holding 1litre of juice, the packaging is red and white with the picture of a pomegranate on the front and has a plastic ...
