Pomegranate Juice: The Ruby of Quetta's Fruit Markets
There is a moment every autumn in Quetta when the fruit carts change colour. The mangoes step aside, and crate after crate of deep-red pomegranates — anar — take their place. For a juice shop, it is the best time of the year. A good pomegranate gives a juice so rich in colour and flavour that customers cross the city for it. Here is what we have learned about this fruit from years of buying, cutting and pressing it.
Why Pomegranate Juice Is So Valued
Pomegranate has been prized in our region for centuries — in poetry, in traditional Unani practice, and simply at the family table. Modern nutrition research describes the fruit as a natural source of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and folate, and it is especially known for natural plant compounds called polyphenols (including punicalagins), which act as antioxidants. Its juice has a unique sweet-tart depth that no other fruit quite matches: rich without being heavy, refreshing without being thin.
We are a juice shop, not a clinic, so we will say it plainly: people drink anar juice because it tastes wonderful and because generations have believed it does them good. That combination keeps it at the top of our menu year after year.
How to Choose a Good Anar
- Weight first: pick it up. A good pomegranate feels heavy for its size — that weight is juice.
- Shape: perfectly round fruit is often under-filled. Slightly flattened sides and gentle angles mean the seeds inside have grown and pushed the skin out.
- Skin: look for firm, unbroken skin with a deep colour. A few rough patches are normal; soft spots and cracks are not.
- Sound: a light tap should sound dense, not hollow.
Why Fresh-Pressed Anar Is a Different Drink
Pomegranate juice begins changing the moment it meets air — the bright ruby colour deepens and the freshest top notes fade within hours. Bottled anar juice, usually from concentrate and pasteurised for shelf life, keeps the colour approximately but loses the sparkle. At the shop we press the seeds fresh for every glass, keeping the bitter white membrane out (crushing it is what makes bad anar juice taste harsh), and serve it straight or over a little ice. No water, no sugar syrup, no colour — the fruit does all the work itself.
When Is It in Season?
In Pakistan the main pomegranate season runs through autumn into early winter, when fruit from Balochistan and other growing regions reaches Quetta's markets at its best and most affordable. Outside the season the fruit is still available but costs more and varies in quality — which is exactly why a fresh glass at a good shop, where someone has already done the choosing for you, can be the smarter buy.
General information only — this article is not medical or dietary advice. If you have a health condition, please consult your doctor about your diet.