How to tell if pomegranate seeds are bad [healthy pomegranate seeds]

How to tell if pomegranate seeds are bad:

We discuss how to tell if pomegranate seeds are bad, how long do pomegranate seeds last in the fridge and is it okay to eat an old pomegranate:

How to tell if Pomegranate seeds are bad:

Pomegranate fruit is a vibrantly, red colored fruit that contain seeds.

As a matter of fact, the word "garnet" in Pomegranates comes from the Medieval Latin "granatum," meaning "many seeds" or "containing grains". 

Pomegranate seeds make up about 3% of the fruit's weight. An aril encloses each seed and despite their hard and fibrous nature, they may provide some health benefits that you would otherwise miss out on.

If you’ve just bought pomegranates for the first time you might have a couple of questions like: How to tell if pomegranate seeds are bad, and Health risks and benefits of Pomegranate seeds?

The following article gives you answers to the above questions you need to know about pomegranate seeds.

Pomegranate seeds: How To Tell If They're Bad?

To tell if seeds are bad look for the following characteristics in pomegranate seeds and also inside of the fruit:

• If there is mold, Remove any seeds inside and discard them.
• If the spores are black, there's no doubt about it that the fruit cannot be eaten.
• The seeds turned brown or black. Ruby red is the usual colour of pomegranate seeds but if you see black or brown then clearly something is wrong. The healthy seeds could be eaten if only some turned brown or black. 

POMEGRANATE SEEDS - HOW DO THEY TASTE? WHETHER THEY ARE SWEET OR BITTER?

Pomegranates and their seeds taste very differently depending on how ripe they are; therefore, it's important to know when it's best to deseed one.

Ripe Pomegranates taste:

Pomegranates have a sour flavor and are often compared to ripe cherries. A few people have compared these fruits to sweet grapes.

Pears, apples, berries and other types of fruit taste much sweeter than pomegranates. They are naturally sweet, but they are still very tart and do not have the same sweetness as very ripe grapes or very sweet apples.

Unripe Pomegranates taste:

Pomegranates that are unripe tend to be very sour and can even be bitter. A pomegranate won't have a sweet aftertaste like a cherry, since they taste more like cranberries.

What does the taste of bad pomegranate seeds like:

Tiny bright red capsules bursting with tart flavour. Pomegranate seeds with a bad taste are slimy, brown things that are so slippery that you probably can't even pick them up between your fingers. There is also a strong smell of rotting. 

It is very unlikely that someone would accidentally eat something like that.

Health Risks and benefits of Pomegranate seeds:

Several health benefits have been attributed to eating pomegranate and consuming pomegranate juice, Hence there may be value in pomegranate seeds, too:

Vitamins in Pomegranates seeds:

Pomegranates are good source of rich nutrients that come from their arils but also from their seeds. Studies have shown that they are particularly high in magnesium and vitamin E and also that pomegranate benefits in weight loss.

If pomegranate seeds are bad:

Fibre in Pomegranates seeds:

Pomegranate seeds are a good source of fiber and according to one study, flour made from these seeds contains about 50% fiber. Pomegranate seeds are primarily composed of cellulose and lignin. Neither cellulose nor lignin dissolve in water, so they pass through your body undamaged. 

Although eating the seeds regularly is safe for most people excessive consumption may lead to intestinal obstruction in some people and those with chronic constipation are at greater risk so they are safe to consume but don't over do eating Pomegranates seeds.

Pomegranate helps in weight loss too:

Pomegranates seeds are antioxidants:

Antioxidant are present in pomegranate seeds but as with all fruit components the arils, however, contain more antioxidants. The seeds, apart from containing some antioxidents also contain polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and lignans.

How long do pomegranate seeds last in the fridge and freezer:

It important to know the shelf life for Pomegranates for proper food storage:

• Pomegranates last three weeks in the fridge.
• Pomegranate seeds can be stored in the refrigerator for 5-7 days and in the freezer for 3-4 months

How to refrigerate pomegranate seeds:

It is necessary to refrigerate pomegranate seeds properly in an airtight container and make sure the container is food-safe. To avoid pomegranate arils picking up any refrigerator smell you must do that last part of the air tight container.

IS IT OK TO EAT POMEGRANATE SEEDS:

The seeds of pomegranates can be eaten. By eating both the arils and seeds at the same time, you'll enjoy the fruit at its best. 

When the arils are eaten together with the seeds there are many people who appreciate the difference in texture. Pomegranates have crunchy seeds that combined with the soft fruit of the arils, this can be a lovely contrast of arils softs and seeds crunch.

You can spit out the seeds if you do not wish to eat them but it can be a very messy process and seeing as they will not hurt you there is no need for this. Eating the crunchy seeds of pomegranates is a much faster and healthier alternative to drinking juice.

How to tell if pomegranate seeds are bad:

The consequences of eating bad pomegranate seeds are:

CDC officials announced in june 2019 that at least 127 people in eight states were infected with Hepatitis A after eating certain brands of frozen pomegranate seeds or a mixture containing frozen pomegranate seeds.

It is very unlikely that someone would accidentally eat something like that but if they did, the decaying taste of the fruit might cause them to spit it out. If they ate too much, it may revolt their stomach and cause them to vomit up all of it so they wouldn't get hurt if they swallowed it.

Frequently asked question:

Tips for storing pomegranates:

Here are some tips on how to store pomegranates:

Only when pomegranates are ripe they are harvested, therefore you don't have to worry about letting them ripen at room temperature.

Store whole pomegranates in a cool dry place that is well ventilated and away from sunlight. The fridge meets all those requirements.

You can leave the fruits at room temperature for a few days if you only need them for a couple of days but be sure not to leave it on the counter in direct sunlight.

Pomegranates last for a long time: There are few fruits that last as long as pomegranates. As a result, Pomegranates can be stored for up to two months in the refrigerator. Obviously if they've already been sitting unrefrigerated for a couple of days in the produce section at the supermarket, they probably won't be as good. When done correctly, pomegranates should stay fresh for a week or two on the counter (if your fridge is full). 

Last but not least, pomegranate seeds once you’ve removed them from the pith and put them in a container should last for about a week.

If the mentioned periods aren’t quite long enough for your needs you can always freeze pomegranate seeds.

Is it okay to eat an old pomegranate:

The red seeds of pomegranates are perfectly safe to eat while the brown seeds should be discarded. So to answer the question you can eat old pomegranate but be sure to check the seed for colour, mold, texture and smell.