Can You Freeze Pomegranate Seeds?

Pomegranate seeds serve the body with a very nutritious health benefit. The seeds are a good source of antioxidants, punicic acid, and insoluble fiber. All of these nutrients will help boost your metabolic process and burn fat. The pomegranate fruit itself can help to keep cancer and obesity at bay. 

Pomegranate fruit as a whole can last for about one month in your refrigerator. As soon as you cut the fruit and remove the seeds, the quality of the seeds starts to reduce greatly as they do not last for long. 

The cold fall and winter signal the beginning of the pomegranate season. This fruit brings a new level of healthy sweetness that you will miss when the season is over. So, are you worried about how to prolong your pomegranate season and wonder if you can do that by freezing it? Here’s your answer.

Can you freeze pomegranate seeds? Yes, you can freeze pomegranate seeds. If stuck in a situation, where seed spoiling is the other alternative, freezing, is your next bet. Freezing prolongs the lifespan of your seeds to about 6 months but changes the texture of the seeds as they become mushy when thawed. But, the taste stays fresh.

Pomegranate seeds are covered by a fruit flesh, known as “Arils”. The fruit flesh contributes to the juicy flavor that you so much desire. Pomegranate seeds can be used as decoration for cakes, to add flavor to smoothies, or to be eaten alone at one’s preference.

How to Freeze Pomegranate Seeds

The hardest part of freezing pomegranate seeds is removing them from the fruit. But, it’s nothing patience and a steady hand cannot solve. In short and easy steps, let’s see how we can freeze our pomegranate seeds and ensure that it freezes well.

Step 1: Pre-freezing

The key to freezing anything properly is to minimize contact with air and eliminate moisture. Pre-freezing is essential to the freezing of pomegranate seeds because it helps you prevent the clumping of the seeds. If the seeds clump together, it makes the usage after freezing a tad bit hectic. So, how do you pre-freeze the seeds? 

Get a baking or cookie sheet, line it with parchment paper or wax so that the removal of the seeds from the sheets would be easy. Rinse the seeds and dry them before placing them individually on the sheet.  Betflix Apk 2023 ✔️ APP Plus ✔️ Descargar App Oficial

Ensure that there is enough spacing between the seeds, or our aim would be defeated and the seeds will clump into one large ball. Place them into the freezer to freeze for a maximum of two hours before moving on to the next step.

Step 2: Freezing

Pomegranate seeds come from a kind of fruit that is unique and incredibly healthy. So every part of the fruit offers a health benefit to the human body. You should take a lot of care during this freezing process as a botched freezing process would most definitely result in seed spoiling.

After the seeds have been pre-frozen, gather them into a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container. Airtight freezer bags or vacuum seal bags will work too. Mark the date of storage with a sharpie on the container or bag, so you can remember to eat within 6 months. Then place it into the freezer to freeze.

How to Thaw Frozen Pomegranate Seeds

Thawed pomegranate seeds release water after thawing so in some cases like cake decoration, it would mess up your decoration if you leave it to thaw at room temperature on the cake. The seeds also become mushy after thawing, but if your seeds would be going into a smoothie you can use them in their frozen state. 

Thawing pomegranate seeds is simple. Just bring the seeds out of the freezer and leave them to thaw overnight in the fridge. But, if you are pressed for time you can pull the seeds out of the freezer and leave them to thaw on the counter. In about 30 minutes your seeds would be thawed. But seeds thawed on the counter should be consumed as soon as possible.

Can You Freeze Pomegranate Whole?

In the refrigerator, pomegranate would keep for up to two months. Yes, you can freeze pomegranate whole. If you don’t mind your pomegranate mushy after thawing. The freezing action changes the texture of the pomegranate as a whole. Trying to extract pomegranate seeds after thawing is enough to mess to deter you from freezing the fruit whole.

Are Frozen Pomegranate Seeds Good as Fresh?

Freezing helps you to keep your food items safe to eat without changing the taste and flavor as long as the freezing shelf life of that food item has not been exceeded. Pomegranate seeds contain water that makes the seeds mushier and less firm than they were, when fresh. But, if you do not mind the change in texture that comes after thawing the frozen seeds, they are as good as fresh seeds.

How to Tell if Pomegranate Seeds are Spoiled

Spoilt pomegranate seeds would be brown, soft, or brittle so steer clear from any pomegranate seeds that bear these signs. The seeds are usually brilliantly pink in color. As the oxidation process starts, it begins to spoil and the change in color is evident. 

However, if the seeds are red with a tinge of brown at the edges it is still safe to eat. But if they exhibit any of the signs mentioned above, please throw them away.