Pomegranates are in season from September to February. The fruit is advertised as healthy, but how many vitamins are actually in it?
A pomegranate is not a vitamin bomb. The exotic fruit contains, among other things, 10.8 mg of vitamin C and 0.06 mg vitamin B1, but small amounts of the daily requirement are covered. This is included vitamin C for adults between 95 and 110 milligrams per day and for vitamin B1 between 1.0 and 1.2 milligrams per day. In comparison: 100 grams of strawberries contain 55.8 milligrams of vitamin C. Here they are Vitamins in the pomegranate at a glance.
Pomegranate: All vitamins and minerals at a glance
Here you will find an overview of the vitamins in pomegranate. The numbers in brackets indicate what percentage of the daily requirement is achieved with 100 grams.
Minerals in 100 grams of pomegranate:
- Potassium (K): 230 mg
- Sodium (Na): 2 mg
- Chloride (Cl): 44 mg
- Calcium (Ca): 9.5 mg
- Magnesium (Mg): 12 mg
- Phosphorus (P): 27 mg
- Iron (Fe): 0.2 mg
- Iodine: 1.5 µg
- Zinc (Zn): 0.2 mg
- Selenium (Se): 0.5 µg
Source: Swiss nutritional value database
What does RE and RAE mean? The units explained
The units around vitamin E and Vitamin A can be confusing. They are given with mg-ATE and RAE and each take into account the different chemical compounds of retinol and tocopherol. They are contained in different compounds in food and are therefore absorbed differently in the body. The activity of Vitamin E is given internationally as mg-ATE and summarizes the equivalents of alpha-tocopherol.
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Depending on the source, the vitamin A content is given in retinol equivalents (RE) and retinol activity equivalents (RAE). The RAE unit takes greater account of the interactions of provitamin A with other foods, which is why the German Nutrition Society (DGE) now also states the daily requirement for vitamin A in RAE. Beta-carotene and other provitamin A carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Here is the conversion according to DGE:
- 1 μg retinol activity equivalent (RAE) = 1 μg retinol = 12 μg β-carotene = 24 μg other provitamin A carotenoids.
What vitamins and minerals does a pomegranate provide?
A pomegranate weighs between 200 and 600 grams. Although the fruit does not provide an excess of any specific vitamin, a whole pomegranate can still contribute to achieving the daily requirement for vitamin C, vitamin B1, folic acid, potassium and magnesium, among others.
The pomegranate is said to have many miraculous effects, according to the Consumer advice center However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support these statements. In fact, it may even be the case that pomegranate products are contaminated with harmful substances, as a study by the Stuttgart Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office showed at the beginning of 2022. According to that German Cancer Research Center However, the residues were below the “toxicologically determined reference values”.
Why is there no vitamin B12 or vitamin D in a pomegranate?
Vitamin B12 is generally not contained in fruits and vegetables; it is mainly found in animal products. Foods high in vitamin B12 include liver, Camembert and mussels. For vegans, an adequate supply of the vitamin is usually only possible through dietary supplements. Vitamin D is also hardly present in fruits and vegetables. Among animal foods, the fat-soluble vitamin is found in fatty fish such as herring and mackerel or in egg yolks.