WATERLOO - The pomegranate's juicy secrets are all over the news.

But that's to be expected in the exotic fruit's rise to fame.

Not too long ago, few Americans knew what a pomegranate was. And now the flavor has found its way into all kinds of products: pomegranate juice, pomegranate soda, pomegranate beauty products and pomegranate gum.

The hundreds of arils - sweet, tart, gem-like juice sacs - packed inside a pomegranate are loaded with antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C, plus they carry a reputation as a disease-fighting superpower.

Antioxidants help destroy free radicals, toxins produced by the body's normal metabolism or from external sources like cigarette smoke, alcohol, chemicals, sunlight, pesticides or fried foods. They can also reduce the risk of inflammation, physical signs of aging, heart disease, blood clotting, high cholesterol and cancer.

"This whole war's going on all the time with things invading us," said Mary Steffensmeier, a registered dietitian at Covenant Wellness Center. "We want to keep fighting and breaking stuff down so it doesn't break us down."

Foods with a deep, vivid color typically contain hidden health benefits, Steffensmeier said. It's no wonder the ruby-red pomegranate seeds squirted out the No. 1 healthiest fruit juice in a UCLA study, as reported recently in Health magazine.

Take that, red wine, concord grapes, blueberries and black cherries, which rounded out the top five.

Eat fresh fruit when possible instead of drinking pomegranate juice, Steffensmeier advised. Seeds are a good source of fiber, which also helps you feel full.

"We see some people take a little bit of information and go to extremes with that," she said. "Gallons of juice aren't going to cure a certain health condition."

Also, Steffensmeier said, easily overconsuming juice can pack on the pounds. For example, an 8-ounce serving of POM Wonderful's 100 percent pomegranate juice contains 160 calories. A half cup of fresh seeds has only 80 calories.

According to the Pomegranate Council, some varieties of pomegranates are available as early as August. The Wonderful variety, the majority of the commercial harvest, is in season from October through January.

While an explosion of pomegranate juice in the past few years has driven up prices, more and more customers are using the fresh fruit in salads and other dishes, said Jeff Thill, produce manager at the Crossroads Hy-Vee.

"They never really used to (buy them), I mean, they really didn't," Thill said. "A lot of it had to do with the fact that they didn't know what to do with them.

"(TV's) Food Network has done wonders," Thill added, laughing. "People come in here, 'I saw them use them last night on the Food Network.' I get it all the time."

Contact Tina Hinz at (319) 291-1484 or tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.