My first experience with pomegranate juice was not pretty. I think I had purchased a bottle of juice that was expired or something, because when I opened the bottle, it exploded all over my friend’s brand new keyboard (getting down in between the keys.) As if that sticky mess wasn’t enough, it just tasted “off.” Other than that explosive juice experience, I wasn’t too familiar with the fruit. My parents have a pomegranate tree in their yard, and I’ve seen them eat the fruit, but let’s be honest, the pomegranate fruit looks funny! Especially with all of the tiny red little seeds inside. I share all of this to let you know that POM Wonderful had a challenge when they sent me samples. Past experiences made me wary of pomegranate juice, but since I run a food blog, I feel like it’s only fair to give the pomegranate juice another try.

Allow me to state the obvious first. The POM Wonderful 8 ounce bottles are CUTE. The shape of the bottle is unique and makes it a little bit more fun to drink. Each bottle contains 8 ounces of 100% pomegranate juice. In addition to only using the natural pomegranate flavors, POM Wonderful sets itself apart from the other pomegranate juices out there because they grow, harvest, and process their juice themselves from their orchards in Central California.

First cultivated in the Middle and Near East, the pomegranate has been eaten for millenia (maybe even 5000 years) but pomegranate juice seems to have only become popular within the past 10 years or so. POM Wonderful first introduced their all-natural pomegranate juice in 2002, re-introducing the many flavors and health benefits of pomegranate. Studies have shown that POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice has “the highest Antioxidant Potency Index among several healthy beverages (red wine, Concord grape, blueberry, acai or cranberry juices)…” In addition, according to POM Wonderful research, pomegranate juice may improve blood flow, lower LDL cholesterol and decrease blood pressure.

Now that you know some of the background and benefits, let’s get down to brass tax. After drinking my first bottle of POM Wonderful, I KNEW that the exploding bottle of years past was definitely spoiled. The fresh bottle POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice tastes good. The  juice tasted similar to a highly concentrated berry that was on the verge of sour, but was still sweet enough to not put it over the edge. It does have a strong flavor, but it isn’t one that you would get tired of drinking midway through the bottle.

After learning that POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice could be used in cooking, and after seeing the POM Wonderful recipes, I was inspired to create my own POM Wonderful drink. This is a non-alcoholic hot pomegranate cider based off their Spiced POM Cider.

Hot POM Cider
(Serves 1)
Ingredients:
6 ounces POM Wonderful
1 ounce Orange Juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon sugar (you can replace honey with more sugar if you want – after I made this I found I needed a little more sweetness)

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients in small sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Be careful not to overheat.

POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is available in grocery stores across the US. For more information about POM Wonderful, please visit their website at www.pomwonderful.com. You can also follow POM Wonderful on Twitter and become a fan of the POM Wonderful Facebook page to stay up-to-date on their latest specials and announcements.

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive free bottles of POM Wonderful from the manufacturer or the representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

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