Quick—name a fruit that can suppress cancer growth, dye clothing, and embellish a cocktail. And it tastes really good!

It’s the pomegranate, of course. This ruby-tinted globe has an astonishing history, and modern science has revealed that there’s good reason it has long been an icon of longevity and fertility—health benefits that research is only just beginning to uncover.

The Glorious Past
The pomegranate dates back to 2000 BC, and probably even further. Some scholars hold that the wily serpent in the Garden of Eden tempted Eve not with the modern apple, but with the ancient pomegranate. It is a recurring symbol of rebirth in many myths and religions—Greeks explained the winter by Persephone’s yearly stint in the underworld due to having eaten a few pomegranate seeds; Persians believed that eating one made a warrior invincible; ancient Egyptians were buried with them in hopes of being reborn. Images in Christian art often depicted the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus holding a pomegranate to symbolize resurrection and life everlasting. In Buddhism, the pomegranate is one of the three “blessed fruits.”

Pomegranates also have a long medicinal history. Romans used them to combat ulcers, gum disease, diarrhea, and tapeworms.

The Robust Present
The pomegranate may have been a rich source of mythic iconography and spiritual inspiration, but its nutritional profile is even more dazzling. Though it’s a plentiful source of vitamin C and potassium, antioxidants are what make this fruit a nutritional powerhouse. Pomegranate juice contains all three of the major antioxidants—tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid.

And if that’s not enough to recommend this rustic fruit, consider this: Pomegranates have been shown to reduce heart disease, clogged arteries, and hypertension, to minimize the risk of arteriosclerosis and the uptake of LDL “bad” cholesterol, and to fight skin and colon cancer. Recent studies have suggested that pomegranates may delay disease progression in prostate cancer, provide protection against osteoarthritis, and offer natural relief from symptoms of menopause. All this in one little Christmas-colored package!

The Delicious Future
You want pomegranates in your diet immediately, but how to prepare this rather formidable-looking fruit?

The easiest route is the juice. Add it to smoothies, make a Cosmopolitan with it at cocktail hour, or use it in a sauce for meat or chicken.

To use the fruit itself, cut off the little crown top, score the skin into four quarters, and soak it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. Keeping it under water, peel it open, separating the membrane and peel from the seeds; the seeds will sink, the membrane will float, and voilà—you have beautiful, jewel-like pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle them over a salad, add color and crunch to a fruit medley, decorate a cake with them, or feature them in a side dish with ethnic flair.

Choose fruits that are deep red and heavy for their size. They can be stored at room temperature for several days or refrigerated for a couple of weeks. Place the seeds in an airtight bag and freeze to use when the pomegranate season (October through January) is over. And the juice is available year-round, so there’s no excuse not to have a regular infusion of pomegranate goodness.