| The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that only 10% of Americans meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. That's unfortunate. Fruits and vegetables bolster your health. And the cold and flu season is just around the corner. They also promote disease resistance and greater longevity. Scientists say that we should eat a broad spectrum of produce, one that reflects the colors of the rainbow. Here is my favorite choice for red: pomegranates. Longtime pomegranate lovers know where I'm headed. The rest of you will thank me later. Pomegranates are one of the best-tasting foods that Mother Nature bestows on us. They also have a long cultural history, turning up everywhere from Greek mythology to the Book of Exodus to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Pomegranates have been revered through the ages for their medicinal properties. Some medical organizations have even used the fruit to represent good health. Originating in Persia, pomegranates were among the first cultivated fruits. And today they're grown in warm climes in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. When we visited Granada, Spain, on The Oxford Club's Wealth, Wine & Wander Tour in June, I discovered that the city is named for the fruit, which is abundant in the region. You don't eat the outer peel or the white membrane, of course. The prize is the arils inside. Each is a brilliant red seed encased in a juicy pulp. And the flavor is a near-perfect mix of tart and sweet. (Gourmets often put the arils on salads or add them to a dish for flavoring or color.) Some think cleaning a pomegranate - separating the seeds from the membrane - is a chore. But I consider it a relaxing morning ritual, maybe because it forces me to take a moment and slow down. (Always important after that third cup of coffee.) You can also buy the arils pre-cleaned and packaged. I mix them with berries, steel-cut oatmeal, and vanilla Greek yogurt for breakfast year-round. Pomegranates are a nutrient-dense food, rich in phytochemicals and overflowing with protective health properties. Studies show a strong correlation between pomegranate consumption and improved health of the cardiovascular, skeletal, and nervous systems. They are a good source of dietary fiber, which facilitates digestion and contributes to a healthy gut biome. The pomegranate is an antioxidant powerhouse. The juice has more protective power than any other because it contains the most of every type of antioxidant. It has more antioxidants than red wine, grape juice, green tea, acai berries, cranberries, or blueberries. Drinking pomegranate juice inhibits viral infections and protects against dental plaque. A single pomegranate provides 40% of your daily requirement of vitamin C. It also contains high amounts of vitamin K - which helps support bone health - and vitamin B5, helping your body metabolize protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The fruit is rich in magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium, too. Plus, they're delicious. Pomegranates contain a unique compound - found only in this fruit - called punicalagin. (Sounds like an Italian shoe, I know.) Punicalagin protects and strengthens your blood vessels and heart. The fruit contains high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols. These lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of stroke - and can reverse atherosclerotic plaque, diminishing cardiac risk. Pomegranates protect your epidermis by encouraging skin cell regeneration. They have anti-angiogenic properties, meaning they prevent growing tumors from acquiring a blood supply. Studies indicate that pomegranates may inhibit breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia. And they taste divine. Pomegranates contain compounds that stimulate serotonin and estrogen receptors. They improve memory, even helping prevent the postoperative memory dysfunction often associated with heart surgery. They relieve osteoporosis by reducing the inflammation that causes pain and stiffness in your joints. They even help protect against cognitive impairment and depression. Pomegranate juice is available year-round, but fresh pomegranates (from the Northern Hemisphere) are generally available only from late October to early January. That means we're in peak season right now. The ones showing up at my local Whole Foods are huge. (Consider this your call to action.) When sealed and refrigerated, pomegranates will keep for up to two months. Or you can freeze the arils and enjoy them year-round, as I do. More often than not, "superfood" is nothing more than a marketing term. But the pomegranate is one fruit that truly lives up to the billing. Also, did I mention they're delectable? Good investing, Alex | 
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