Homemade Pomegranate Juice With No Added Sugars!
Today’s homemade pomegranate juice is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and many health benefits. It is very easy to make and doesn’t contain any added sweeteners or artificial additives.
In this jam-packed article, we will explore the benefits of pomegranate juice, variations of this recipe, and amazing tips and tricks to help the process.
If you love refreshing nutrient-dense juices, you should definitely also have a look at these. Some of my favorites include this Quick And Easy Aloe Vera Juice and my Sugar-Free Pineapple Cucumber Juice.
How To Choose The Best Pomegranates For This Recipe
Today we will jump right into this fascinating recipe. Now, the juice itself isn’t hard to make. It virtually only needs two or three ingredients.
The lemon juice helps create a more balanced, sweet flavor. The ginger adds some nutritional value and an added fresh undertone.
And the salt helps enhance the fruity flavors in the juice.
But the real hero of today’s juice is obviously the pomegranates. Many people will buy pre-seeded pomegranates. But I highly recommend you deseed your own fruits at home.
Check out this step-by-step guide on how to cut a pomegranate.
For one, it is more cost-friendly. Secondly, your pomegranate seeds will have a much better flavor and texture. And it will contain a lot more nutrients than old seeds!
This process is a little time-consuming. But check out my tips and tricks section for some helpful techniques that will make the process a little easier.
Signs Of Fresh Pomegranates
So, choosing the freshest and best pomegranates is essential for making fresh pomegranate juice.
When looking at the fruit, always choose one without any blemishes on the skin. It should have a uniform bright pinkish-red color with lighter streaks throughout.
Also, stay away from any pomegranate fruits that look dry. They will be much harder to peel. And finally, fresh pomegranates should feel heavy. That means they are most likely filled with juices and haven’t dried out on the inside.
It is easy, right? So, let’s move on to the benefits of pomegranate juice.
Benefits Of Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranates are very low in calories. One cup of fresh pomegranate juice contains 136 calories. This recipe will make roughly 2 1/2 cups of juice, perfect for two decent serving portions.
That means that each serving will be roughly 170 calories. The lemon juice, ginger, and salt don’t add many calories.
Now, obviously, if you serve smaller servings of juice, the calorie count will reduce significantly. But even so, 170 calories for juice isn’t bad. Especially considering this juice doesn’t contain preservatives, sweeteners, or other chemical additives.
Then, when it comes to breaking down this pomegranate juice’s nutrition profile, it is a nutrient-dense juice.
What Are The Benefits Of Pomegranate Juice?
Pomegranates are fat-free and virtually free of protein and fiber. But they do contain a hefty amount of carbohydrates. Now, this isn’t a bad thing because natural carbs have many benefits for your body.
Homemade pomegranate juice contains roughly 30 grams of sugar for every cup, so it is naturally sweet. That’s the main reason I don’t add more sugar to the juice.
And finally, it also contains a high amount of sodium, about 10 grams per cup. That usually surprises people because this is such a sweet fruit. But it’s important to keep in mind so that you don’t overdo it with your sodium intake.
This pomegranate juice recipe is also high in vitamin C, K, iron, calcium, potassium, and folate.
Now, some potential health benefits this juice may offer include reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and supporting joint health. It is very rich in antioxidants and also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Pomegranate juice also has some benefits for your skin.
Tips And Tricks For This Healthy Pomegranate Juice Recipe
- The biggest trick for any tutorial on “how to make pomegranate juice” is deseeding these fruits. To be completely honest, it can be an uphill battle, and it’s pretty time-consuming. But here’s a trick we learned. Once you have your sections of seeds, bang the back of the pomegranate (the peel) with a spoon or spatula. You can be forceful. Make sure you aim the pomegranate seeds into a big bowl. The force will help shoot the seeds out of their pockets and into the bowl. You may need to manually remove the white pith.
- If you want ice-cold pomegranate juice, chill the seeds in the fridge before blending them.
- I don’t recommend adding ice to the juice. While it will make it cold, it also waters down the nutrients in the juice. Not to mention it dilutes the flavor.
- Serve the juice before it oxidizes. It will start doing so within an hour. This juice has to be served immediately.
FAQs
What are the disadvantages of drinking pomegranate juice?
Many people are allergic to pomegranates without even knowing it. Obviously, this can lead to allergic reactions. And secondly, some medications (especially blood thinners and ACE medications) react with pomegranates and could inhibit their effectiveness. Always consult your doctor.
What fruits pair well with pomegranates?
You can add some other fruits to this juice to add more nutrients. But keep in mind that they will also increase the calorie count. The best flavor pairings include berries, apples, citrus, coconut, mango, pear, and pineapple. There are also a variety of herbs you can try.
Can You Make This Juice Red?
Pomegranate juice will come out with a more pinkish color if you blend it. If you press it by hand it will have a dark red color since you are not crushing the seeds. If you use only the red arils (seed sacs), you will get a very dark red or purple color. Adding some cranberries to your pomegranate juice can also help give it a brighter, redder color.
You can also intensify the red color by adding some gel food coloring, liquid food coloring, or powdered food coloring. Use a bright fire truck red color. The liquid food coloring will work best for juice.
More Refreshing Juices
Homemade Pomegranate Juice With No Added Sugars!
Ingredients
- 5 large pomegranates
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
Instructions
Prepare the pomegranates
- Wash the pomegranates and the lemon Set aside the lemon until you need it again.
- Cut the top (crown) and bottom of the pomegranates off.
- Cut an X on the top of the fruit. Then, break it apart into four sections. We don't want to cut through the seeds. Otherwise, we will lose precious juice.
- Remove the seeds (arils) from the fruit. Don't add any of the white pieces around the seeds (mesocarp and epicarp). Discard the white pith.
- Place the seeds into a blender as you finish removing them. Do so with all of the pomegranate sections.
Make the juice
- Cut the lemon into two and get as much juice out of each half as you possibly can. Place the juice in the blender with the pomegranate seeds.
- Add the peeled and minced fresh ginger.
- Give the ingredients a couple of pulses. This will help break up the seeds to release the pomegranate juice. It simultaneously helps blend the different flavors together.
- Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve. This will catch the loose seeds.
- Serve the juice immediately.
Thank you for this recipe. I made pomegranate juice the exact same way but with fresh ginger root. It was fantastic. I like using my blender to make fresh juices. Straining is less stressful than washing a ton of juicer parts.
I have been juicing my home grown pomegranates for the past seven years. Come December my crop is read for harvest. After washing the fruit I do prepare them as you suggest. However I have found that using a grinder attachment for my Kitchenaid stand mixer works best for me. Wash, cut and deseed the fruit, grind and strain the juice then I freeze the juice in heavy duty zipper bags. I have a huge pomegranate tree on my patio and receive a huge harvest each year, with plenty of fruit to share with my neighbors and the local birds.