Pomegranate juice has been a health food hit for awhile now, but how often do you toss a raw pomegranate in your grocery cart? The Pomegranate Council -- yes, there's a council -- shares all sorts of cool facts about this ancient fruit. Now's a good time to try a pomegranate, the California's Wonderful variety is in season now through January.

The fun part lies in figuring out how to actually eat those raw aril seeds bursting with pomegranate juice. Whether using the traditional or fanning no-mess methods, you can scoop out the seeds without turning your fingertips into a red-stained mess.

Once you have a pile, how many calories are actually in a half cup of pomegranate seeds?

Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

When is a food truly super? And when is it just another food with a really great marketing campaign behind it?

In many ways, food is like fashion. Certain items come into vogue ... and they can also lose their popularity. Take eggs for example -- for years they were vilified for cholesterol, now they're seen as an overall healthy food and weight loss aid. The superfood du jour may change -- blueberries, pomegranate, acai and so forth -- but the hype is the same. If you're to believe the advertising, these superfoods are a must for everybody. What do you think?

Cutting calories? Make sure you aren't robbing your energy levels at the same time.

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In the grand pursuit of optimal health and fitness, there is one quality, one secret element, which can fuel your journey to success -- and that is pure PASSION! Every Monday, That's Fit's very own "charged up" wellness guru Laura Lewis presents The Passion Principle, a weekly guide that will help you achieve your greatest potential through words of inspiration, cutting edge ideas and action tips you can use in your everyday life.

Does being fit mean you'll have a better sex life? Some think so. Hey listen, my ultimate goal is to motivate you to become healthier, happier and more physically fit. So think about this: If you knew your sex life would be much improved, would you be more inclined to get your "fluffy" self to the gym? Or to eat a healthier diet? Maybe even take a few "good for your sex life" supplements? Your answer should be yes, yes ... yes!

Here are six "Better Sex Tips" that might improve the big "O" and more:

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Looking for something new and unexpected to make your diet more interesting and help you lose weight? Check out these 5 foods.

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Want to drop a few pounds? Here's what you need: Protein and fiber. Both keep you feeling fuller longer, which means you're less likely to snack and more likely to maintain your weight. Enter these six Super Foods -- quinoa, pomegranate, Goji berries, almond butter, eggs, and green tea.

Take a peek at this AOL News video and learn more about these super six -- you'll also discover that one of these foods is a great substitute for rice, one contains more beta carotene than carrots, and one has been used for medicinal purposes for 2,000 years.

What foods do you find super enough to fight flab?

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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.

The blueberry muffin: an eternal favorite, bursting with moist flavor, sabotaging diets everywhere. Your love of blueberry muffins doesn't have to translate to bigger hips; you can have your muffin and your slim figure.

The trick is this: adding more nutritious ingredients while cutting out the excess bad fats and calories. In a past post, Jessica has rehabbed blueberry muffins into a pretty decent healthy breakfast treat. Let's take it several steps further.

Add more nutrition
Blueberries are one of the top antioxidants, but you can add more goodies to your muffins to make them even more nutritious:

• sunflower seeds, which also add a nice crunch, about 1/4 cup
  
• lemon peel and/or juice, zest and juice of one lemon
  
• whole oats, about 1/2 cup
• chunks of other fruits, like apple, pear or other berries
• nuts of your choice, 1/2 cup
• ground flax seeds, about 1/4 cup

Apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges ... all good and healthy choices, but after a while they can start to feel a little boring. Mixing it up and trying a more unusual fruit not only adds interest -- it likely adds a nutritional boost as well. Different color categories of fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients. For example, red fruits and vegetables tend to be high in lycopene.

If you want to try a new taste, give some of these unusual fruits a try:

• Baby kiwi
• Prickly pear
• Cherimoya
  
• Kiwano melon
• Kumquat
• Tamarillo
• Lychee
• Feijoa
• Passion fruit
• Dragonfruit
• Pomegranate

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Pomegranate juice has for quite some time been touted for its antioxidant properties. Citing heart health as a primary benefit of its ability to help prevent free radical damage, many people made the switch to this more expensive juice in recent years.

But as good for your heart as pomegranate may be, there's evidence to suggest that men may be able to derive an added boner ... er, I mean bonus from this popular fruit.

A University of California study revealed that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day helps erectile dysfunction. It turns out that the same antioxidant properties that help ward off free radical damage also prevent circulatory issues, thus offering a wee bit of help to the fellas who need it.

Researchers from the University of California are looking into their recent discovery that pomegranate may help men who suffer from erectile dysfunction.

Early clinical trials revealed that men who drank one glass of pomegranate juice each day reported experiencing an improvement with their erectile function. The researchers posit that this may be due to an increase in nitric oxide levels, brought on by the antioxidant properties of the fruit. Because nitris oxide relaxes blood vessels, it allows blood to flow more freely to the genitals.

In a short amount of time, pomegranate went from being considered a health and wellness wonder fruit to somewhat of a produce pariah. Opponents of the fruit acknowledged its high antioxidant content but still dismissed it as being too high in calories (and suggesting that other fruits, that are also high in antioxidants but much lower in calories, are a healthier option). Though the jury may still be out on this particular issue, there are probably many men out there who find this new information ... exciting.

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Pomegranates were all the rage in 2006 and 2007. Because they contain high levels of antioxidants and were linked to a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke, this fruit quickly rose to the rank of super-food. But, in the past few months or so, many people have started to question whether pomegranates are all they're cracked up to be; chiefly, if their high calorie count makes them a poor choice over other, lower-calorie fruits and vegetables that are also high in antioxidants.

However, as that debate rages on, some new pro pomegranate research just popped up. A UCLA study found that middle-aged men with moderate erectile dysfunction who drank one glass of pomegranate juice daily for twenty-eight days demonstrated a slight change in their capacity to get an erection.

Though in no way conclusive, this study shows promise for the use of pomegranate for the treatment of ED. If you're one of the estimated 30 million American men who suffer from this disorder, maybe this Valentine's Day you and your partner can thank pomegranate juice for helping you have a heart on. ;)

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Simple, easy-to-follow and just plain good, sound advice. That's what we're all looking for, isn't it? We don't have all day to read through medical journals, so we do our best to pick up tips here and there. In keeping with that approach, here are a few health tips of the day.

Try to consume more pomegranate juice. In addition to aiding in preventing hardening of the arteries, lowering bad cholesterol, pomegranate juice may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Try to find a 100% version of the juice, such s the very popular Pom -- which can be found in most supermarkets.

A research study conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore points to the importance of laughter. Its healing power, if you will. Apparently, people who watched comedy films such as "There's Something About Mary" had better blood flow than those who watched dramas like "Saving Private Ryan."

Relaxed, control breathing can help lower your blood pressure. Try to take 10 breaths per minute rather than the average 16 to 19. By doing so, you can slow your body's excretion of salt, which, in turn, will help keep your blood pressure down.

Quick and to the point. The way we like it.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Oprah loves pomegranate martinis. They're full of good enzymes, she told her audience on Friday. Hey, guess what? Enzymes aren't everything when it comes to the power of the pomegranate, a fruit that grows on a shrub in southern European and Asian countries and can also be grown in California.

The size of an orange, consisting of seeds surrounded by pulp, and separated by a membrane, the pomegranate is is chock full of health benefits.

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I'm going to say two things right now about pomegranates; one that will make you want to eat them even more often for their amazing health benefits, and the other that will make you never want to even look at one again.

The tricky part is, which one do I start with? The good or the bad news? Hmmm ... okay, I'll go with the good news first, this way you don't have to finish reading this post and you will still find out that pomegranates have been shown to slow the development of lung tumors. How about that for some good news?

Already known for its role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer, researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison have also discovered evidence to suggest that pomegranates may also help prevent lung cancer.

Mice given a tumor-inducing agent had 62-percent fewer lung tumors after five months of pomegranate supplementation than did mice that were not given pomegranate. More research still needs to be done to ascertain if humans would obtain similar results.

Oh great - now onto the other part. I'm loathe to even mention this, I really am. Oh, I know -- I'll use it in the context of Halloween. Let's say you want to serve up a creepy looking snack to your party guests, pomegranates make a great choice. Maybe it's just me, but pomegranate seeds look so much like bloody, human teeth that it makes me want to hurl. A whole bowl full of them would look like something straight out of the movie Saw.

Hey! Don't forget about how healthy they are, though!! And they're very tasty!! Just because something looks like a bloody human mouth ... blech. So freakin' gross.

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