While the area I live in may have made my exposure to this fruit a little slower than it was for most people, it's still a relatively new addition to the regular fruits and veggies on grocery store shelves. In a short span of time the bizarre-looking pomegranate has moved from exotic to mainstream.

The world of nutrition has its trends just like anything else, and pomegranates certainly had their day (or couple of years) in the sun. Pomegranates have been linked to health benefits for erectile dysfunction, cancer risk reduction, lung health, and other issues. And they certainly are good for you... not to mention tasty. (Though pomegranate juice can negatively interact with certain medications (such as some blood pressure meds), so check with your doctor.)

But when a food item becomes trendy, there is a bit of a halo effect; anything that has that item listed on the package automatically seems healthier and better for you. Health by association, if you will.

I got sucked into the pomegranate vortex the last time I went grocery shopping. Normally, I'm a label reader, but my son was getting bored and I was in a hurry. I saw some frozen fruit bars labeled "pure fruit" and "100% natural" -- since my son and I both had sore throats from allergies, I thought they would be a good treat. Plus, they were pomegranate blends, so they had to be good, right?

When I got home I was surprised to read that my fruit bars contained corn syrup. I guess you could technically consider corn syrup natural -- though it goes through quite an unnatural process to be created -- but it certainly isn't "pure fruit." Bummer. The misleading packaging and the pomegranate halo had fooled me.

Pomegranate is showing up in everything from cereal bars to salad dressings... even hair dye. In its natural form, the fruit is a great addition to your diet. But don't assume that any manufactured product is good for you just because it contains pomegranate. (This, of course, holds true for any other trendy nutrition item.) Don't get fooled by the halo effect -- check the labels and know what you're eating.

Oh, and in regards to the hair dye... I really can't imagine what the benefit would be, though I assume your hair would come out smelling great!