Anardana is an Indian fruit with the scientific name of Punica granatum. The fruit is also known as pomegranate. The pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree that has an average height of five to eight metres. The fruit has a diameter of 5-12 cm, which is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size. It has a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin. Each of the Anardana fruits bears seeds ranging from 329 to more than 1000. The seeds and surrounding pulp of the tree range in colour from white to deep red, and they are called arils. The seeds and pulp are edible. The fruit of the pomegranate is a berry.

The Anardana or pomegranate is a native to Iran and has been cultivated and naturalised in northern India. The Punica granatum nana is actually a dwarf variety of P.granatum that is popularly used as Bonsai trees and as a patio plant. The tree differs in having pink flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. As they are drought tolerant, the Pomegranates can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. The tree is prone to root decay from fungal diseases, in wetter areas. They are also tolerant of moderate frost, down to about ?10°C (14°F).

The Anardana or pomegranate is used as an ingredient in preparing various Indian foods. The fruit is used in India to sour chutneys and also in preparing pastries and breads. The entire seed of the fruit is consumed raw, though the watery, tasty aril is the desired part. The Indian people use the spice made from the Anardana fruit to sprinkle over salads or vegetable dishes or over fruit salad. They use the spice as a replacement of pomegranate syrup in Middle Eastern cuisine. They separate the seeds from the flesh, dry them for 10-15 days and then use them as an acidic agent for chutney and curry production. The Indian people also sprinkle it over pan fried shrimp or grilled meats for enhancing the taste of meats and seafood. Anardana adds a delicate but rustic sour taste to meats. The fruit is often used to garnish dishes like hummus, salads and tahini. Pomegranate is also made into a liqueur and popular fruit confectionery, which is used as ice cream topping or mixed with yogurt or spread as jam on toast. Apart from these, the Anardana seeds are extensively used as a souring agent in Indian cooking, as well. The fruit is particularly used in preparing curd rice (Telugu: dadhojanam) and Danimma Pulihora in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Besides its usage in different kinds of foods, the Anardana is also consumed as juice in India. The polyphenols found in the pomegranate juice have several health benefits, and extracts of pomegranate can also aid in anti-aging and in preventing heart disease. The Anardana fruit juice has many nutritional values. The seeds and surrounding pulp of the fruit, named aril is edible and contains Energy, Carbohydrates, Sugars, Dietary fibre, Fat, Protein, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Vitamin, Folate, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Zinc. The fruit also contain the Antioxidant Polyphenols, including the hydrolyzable tannins called punicalagins that have free-radical scavenging properties in laboratory experiments. Some of the other important phytochemicals found in the Anardana fruit include beta-carotene, and polyphenols like catechins, gallocatechins. The anthocyanins like prodelphinidins, delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin can also be found in the Anardana fruit.

The Anardana fruit juice has a number of health benefits. The polyphenols of the juice remove free radicals from cells, which helps in maintaining the human cell function intact. The polyphenols also aid in wound repair and in strengthening the immune system. They have an anti-inflammatory effect, as well. However, the most famous benefit of the Anardana juice is that, the juice can help to slow skin wrinkling. For this, the pomegranates have been a popular ingredient in anti-aging remedies, both traditional and modern, for several centuries.

Another benefit of the Anardana juice is that, it helps in getting relief from osteoarthritis, by slowing the deterioration of cartilage. The pomegranate juice is found to be effective in increasing blood flow to the heart, and hence, it is helpful for patients with ischemic heart disease, as well. The juice can also reduce arterial plaque. The taste of the juice differs depending on subspecies of pomegranate and its ripeness and it can be very sweet or sour. However, most Anardana fruits are moderate in taste. The Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult`s daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving. The juice is helpful in preventing the diseases like Rhinovirus Infection, Common Cold, Coronary Artery Disease, etc. As a whole, the Anardana or pomegranate juice has a number of nutritious products and it benefits human organ in a great way.

Though not indigenous to it, Anardana is one of the commonly found trees in India. The tree is cultivated in different parts of India, wherever the climate and atmosphere is suitable. The Anardana or pomegranate fruit is also extensively used for serving different purposes in India. It is used as a spice in different kinds of Indian food. The juice of the fruit is also proved to be healthy and is helpful in curing many diseases like Rhinovirus Infection, Common Cold, Coronary Artery Disease, etc. Many pharmaceutical companies and food ingredient manufacturers are also making commercial use of Anardana in India.