Pomegranate Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Pomegranate arils provide 1.67g protein per 100g — higher than apple (0.26g), banana (1.09g), grape (0.72g), and mango (0.82g). Combined with 4.0g fiber (14% DV) at 83 kcal, pomegranate has an unusually substantial macronutrient profile for a fruit ^[1].

Half a cup of arils (87g) delivers 1.5g protein and 3.5g fiber at 72 kcal. A full cup (174g) provides 2.9g protein and 7.0g fiber at 144 kcal — a fiber-protein combination that few individual fruits can match in a single serving.

The protein comes partly from the edible seed inside each aril. Pomegranate arils include the seed — unlike pomegranate juice, which is just the juice surrounding the seeds. This structural difference explains why arils have 1.67g protein while juice has only 0.15g.

Pomegranate provides 38mcg folate per 100g — 10% of the daily value. Among common fruits, this is notably high: orange has 30mcg, banana 20mcg, mango 43mcg, and most fruits have less than 10mcg. Half a cup of arils (87g) provides 33mcg folate (8% DV) ^[1][2].

Folate is a B-vitamin often under-tracked in food journals. Pomegranate's 38mcg contribution per 100g makes it a meaningful fruit source. A full cup of arils (174g) delivers 66mcg folate (17% DV) — a substantial portion from a single fruit serving.

Pomegranate juice retains some folate (24mcg/100g) because folate is water-soluble and transfers into the juice during pressing. For folate tracking, both arils and juice contribute, though arils provide more per serving.

Pomegranate provides only 10.2mg vitamin C per 100g — 11% DV. This is far less than orange (53.2mg), kiwi (92.7mg), strawberry (58.8mg), or even mango (36.4mg). Half a cup of arils (87g) delivers just 8.9mg vitamin C ^[1].

The deep red color of pomegranate comes from anthocyanins (specifically punicalagins and pelargonidin), not from vitamin C or carotenoids. Color and vitamin C content are unrelated — strawberry is red and high in vitamin C, but pomegranate is red and moderate. Guava is green/yellow and has 228mg vitamin C per 100g.

For food journaling, do not rely on pomegranate for vitamin C intake. A full cup of arils (174g) provides only 18mg (20% DV). A single medium orange provides nearly 4x that amount.

A whole pomegranate (4-inch diameter) weighs approximately 282g, but only about 147g (52%) consists of edible arils. The thick rind and white pith make up the remaining 48% — one of the highest waste ratios among commonly eaten fruits ^[1][3].

This 52% edible portion means the nutritional value of one whole pomegranate = 122 kcal, 2.5g protein, 27.5g carbs, and 5.9g fiber (from 147g arils). For food journaling, always weigh the arils after removal, not the whole fruit. A 282g pomegranate logged at 83 kcal/100g for the whole weight would overcount by nearly 100%.

Compare this waste ratio to other fruits: apple is ~85% edible, banana ~64% (peel), mango ~65% (seed + skin), and orange ~73% (peel). Pomegranate's 52% is among the lowest, along with passion fruit (~50%) and coconut (~35%).

Pomegranate has 0mcg vitamin A (RAE) per 100g — no beta-carotene, no alpha-carotene, and no cryptoxanthin. This is surprising given the deep red color, but the pigments responsible are anthocyanins, which are a completely different class of compounds from carotenoids ^[1][2].

Carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene) produce yellow-orange colors and convert to vitamin A in the body. Anthocyanins produce red-blue-purple colors but have no vitamin A activity. Pomegranate, blueberry, cherry, and red grape are all colored by anthocyanins, not carotenoids.

For food journaling, pomegranate contributes zero to vitamin A intake. If tracking vitamin A, choose orange/yellow fruits: mango (54mcg), cantaloupe (169mcg), or apricot (96mcg). Pomegranate's value lies in its folate, fiber, protein, potassium, and vitamin K (16.4mcg/100g, 14% DV) contributions.