NEWS worthy Clips (2/2)

Update your vocabulary with news clips from around the world 

Pomegranates prove positively popular

Sticking with trees

Resnick’s love affair with pomegranates began 20 years ago when she and her husband bought farmland in central California that included a 100-acre pomegranate grove. The Resnicks had long grown oranges largely sold under the Sunkist brand but had no pomegranate experience. Consultants urged them to the pomegranate trees and plant pistachios. Instead, the two were enchanted by the pomegranate’s rich folklore. They found early medical research showing possible benefits of the fruit and began additional studies. The couple decided to keep the trees and try to sell the fruit and juice.

There were many . It takes five pomegranates to fill just one 16-ounce bottle. Unlike fruits such as oranges that are easily squeezed, pomegranates have stuffed with juice-filled pellets called arils. When juicing, the right amount of the fruit’s skin must be kept to retain the fruit’s health benefits, but not too much as to make the juice bitter and undrinkable. POM Wonderful had to invent its own presses.

Skeptical experts

While there’s research showing pomegranates can have healthful effects, some nutrition experts remain skeptical. Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University says there has not been enough research to declare pomegranates a wonder fruit. Barry Popkin, a nutrition expert, is also critical of the company’s claims, adding consumers should limit the intake of juices, including pomegranate juice, to no more than 120 ml a day to control calories.

Resnick has dealt with critics before. This year, for instance, the company tackled the calorie concerns with POMx supplements in no-calorie pill form. POM Wonderful is also introducing a lower-calorie version of its POM Tea. Right now, though, Resnick says the biggest challenge is making sure POM Wonderful stands out among all of the new products coming from other companies. She thinks consumers will know the difference.

Vocabulary Focus

tackle (v) ---to try to deal with something or someone

stand out (phr v) ---to be much better than other similar things

Specialized terms

grove (n)--- a group of trees growing close together

folklore (n)--- the traditional stories and culture of a group of people