Pardes Rimonim with Pri Megadim

A little background: The pomegranate fruit symbolizes beauty, abundance, fertility, wisdom, and righteousness. The beauty of the fruit and its flowers were used as symbols for decorating buildings, coins, and various ornaments. The image of the pomegranate was embroidered on the robe of Aaron the High Priest, was inscribed on the capitals of the pillars in Solomon's Temple, and evidence of the ancient use of the pomegranate as a symbol is the "Ivory Pomegranate" found in the Israel Museum - an archaeological find over 3,000 years old, considered part of a scepter used by the priests of the Holy Temple. Experts believe it is the only surviving artifact from the First Temple period.

The pomegranate contains numerous vitamins and minerals: vitamins C, K, E, B5, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and calcium. It also contains tannins-polyphenols, which have astringent properties, hence its use in treating diarrhea, hemorrhoids, wounds, and burns. The pomegranate is an important weapon in maintaining heart and vascular health and lowers bad cholesterol levels. It helps strengthen the immune system, is a good source of iron, and is recommended for those suffering from anemia and weakness. The pomegranate assists in treating various types of cancer and menopause symptoms, alleviates headaches, and in cases of nausea, improves memory retention, cleanses the intestines, and purifies the body. The pomegranate is rich in powerful antioxidants, even more so than green tea and red wine.

Products derived from the plant: A wide variety of products made from the plant are available on the market, from different types of pomegranate juice, pomegranate seed oil, and pomegranate wine to various ointments.

Warnings: Excessive drinking of pomegranate juice may cause constipation.

Method of use: Drinking a glass of pomegranate juice daily is effective in lowering cholesterol, relieving coughs, headaches after intoxication, blood cleansing, general weakness, edema, treating ulcers and mouth pains/

Digestive infections: Boil pomegranate peels with banana peels for 10 minutes, cool, strain, and drink the water several times a day.
Jaundice: Soak a handful of peels in a liter of water overnight, sweeten, and drink the next day.
Hemorrhoids: Boil peels in olive oil for up to 5 minutes, cool, and apply several times a day.
Stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers: Dry pomegranate peels in the shade, crush them finely, mix with a little honey, and eat a spoonful after each meal. The flavonoids in the peel have anti-inflammatory and restorative properties.
Nausea and vomiting: Eat ripe fruit or drink pomegranate juice with mint.
Wounds and burns: Dry the peels, crush them into powder, and sprinkle on wounds and burns. The peel contains flavonoids with anti-inflammatory properties.
Baby wounds and rashes: As a talc substitute - dry pomegranate peels, crush them into powder, and sprinkle on the area.
Strengthening hair and treating dandruff: Mix pomegranate peel powder with henna and apply to hair. The mixture gives a black tint.
Mouth sores, gum inflammations, and mouth bleeding: Boil three tablespoons of pomegranate peels in a cup of water, gargle three times a day, or drink freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and hold the liquid in the mouth before swallowing. Alternatively, you can apply a powder made from pomegranate peel directly to the sore spot.

Maimonides notes that pomegranate peel is used to stop bleeding from wounds, and the juice is used to stop diarrhea and ease nausea and headaches from intoxication. The peel also heals skin diseases.

Moroccan Jews add ground pomegranate peel, mallow, olive oil, and grape sugar to treat dysentery.

Tunisian Jews prepare a decoction from pomegranate peels, licorice, mallow, cumin, and flaxseed to treat diaper rash in babies.

Yemeni Jews mix henna with pomegranate peel powder to dye hair and treat dandruff.

Babylonian Jews used pomegranate flowers to treat irregular menstruation, gingivitis, eye infections, and diarrhea. Pomegranate peel powder was used as talc for wound treatment and for gargling in the oral cavity for gum issues.

In Sri Lanka, the pomegranate flower is called "Dalon" and is used to treat and relieve eye pain.

Drinking pomegranate juice is healthier than eating the fruit itself, as 70% of the antioxidants present in the peel are released during juicing.