How Many Calories Are In A Pomegranate? | Calorie Breakdown

Pomegranates look like a calorie commitment. The fruit is dense, heavy, and packed with ruby-red arils that burst with sweet-tart juice when bitten. Many people assume that kind of intensity means a high calorie load, but the actual numbers often come as a surprise.

A whole medium pomegranate (about the size of a baseball) clocks in at roughly 234 calories. That’s comparable to a medium banana or a large apple, yet a single pomegranate delivers close to about 11 grams of fiber and about a third of your daily vitamin C. The calorie count depends on size, variety, and whether you’re eating the arils alone or the whole fruit.

Calorie Counts For Common Pomegranate Servings

Pomegranate calories vary depending on how you measure them. The arils — the juicy seed sacs that are the only edible part — are what you actually eat. The thick rind and white pith get discarded, so calorie counts always refer to the arils only.

A whole medium pomegranate averaging 282 grams contains about 234 calories. Per 100 grams of raw arils, the count drops to 83 calories. That makes pomegranate comparable in calorie density to many other fresh fruits.

By-the-cup servings

A cup of arils (roughly 6.1 ounces or 174 grams) provides around 144 calories. A half-cup serving (about 87 grams) gives you 72 calories, 3.5 grams of fiber, and 16.3 grams of carbohydrates. These serving sizes make it easy to fit pomegranate into a meal plan without guessing.

Why The Calorie Count Surprises People

Pomegranates feel heavier and richer than most fruits, so the moderate calorie number often seems too low. That gap between perception and reality has a few explanations worth knowing.

• Water content in arils: Each aril is mostly water, which adds weight but very few calories. The juice that stains your fingers is dilute enough that a whole fruit stays under 250 calories.
• Fiber fills you up: A whole pomegranate packs about 11.3 grams of fiber — far more than an apple or banana. That fiber slows digestion and makes the fruit feel more substantial than its calorie count suggests.
• Sugar is natural and bundled with fiber: Pomegranates contain about 11.9 grams of sugar per half-cup serving. That sugar comes packaged with fiber and polyphenols, unlike the free sugars in juice or sweets.
• Portion confusion with juice: Pomegranate juice is much more calorie-dense because the fiber is removed. A cup of juice can hit 130-160 calories with less satiety than the whole fruit.

Once you know these factors, the calorie count makes more sense. The fruit is nutrient-dense but not calorie-dense — a combination that’s easier to appreciate after understanding the water and fiber content.

Macronutrient Profile Of A Pomegranate

A whole medium pomegranate provides about 4.7 grams of protein, 3.3 grams of fat, and 52 grams of carbohydrates. The USDA breaks down the macronutrient profile in its pomegranate total calories page, showing that about 81% of the fruit’s calories come from carbohydrates, 11% from fat, and 7% from protein.

The carbohydrate content is notable because it includes a meaningful amount of fiber. With 11.3 grams of fiber per whole fruit, pomegranate contributes roughly 40% of the daily fiber target for most adults on a 2000-calorie diet. The remaining carbs come mostly from natural sugars.

Fiber numbers can vary by fruit size and variety. The values above reflect a medium pomegranate approximately 3-3/8 inches in diameter. Slightly larger or smaller fruit will shift the numbers accordingly, but the overall macronutrient balance stays similar.

Serving Size	Calories	Fiber (g)
Whole medium pomegranate (282g)	234	11.3
100 grams raw arils	83	~4.0
1 cup arils (174g)	144	~7.0
Half cup arils (87g)	72	3.5
Quarter cup arils (44g)	~36	~1.8

Values in this table come from USDA nutrition data, with approximate figures marked by a tilde (~). Individual fruit size and variety cause small variations, but these ranges hold for most fresh pomegranates available in grocery stores.

Comparing Pomegranates To Other Fruits

Pomegranate sits in the middle of the fruit calorie spectrum. It’s higher in calories per gram than watery fruits like melon or cucumber, but lower than calorie-dense options like banana or mango. The key differentiator is fiber content — most fruits offer 1-3 grams per serving, while pomegranate delivers notably more.

Three factors help pomegranate stand out in a fruit-to-fruit comparison:

1. Fiber density: A whole pomegranate provides about 11.3 grams of fiber. You would need to eat roughly four medium apples or three bananas to match that fiber from a single fruit source.
2. Antioxidant load: Pomegranate contains high levels of punicalagins and anthocyanins — antioxidants that give the arils their deep red color. These compounds are less abundant in most common fruits.
3. Vitamin C contribution: One whole pomegranate provides about 32% of the daily value for vitamin C. That’s comparable to a medium orange, though the vitamin comes packaged with more fiber and less sugar overall.

For anyone tracking calories without sacrificing nutrient density, pomegranate offers a favorable trade-off. The 234-calorie whole fruit delivers fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C in a single serving that most other fruits can’t match without adding more calories.

Beyond Calories: What Else Pomegranates Offer

Calories only tell part of the story. Pomegranate is known for its antioxidant content and potential health effects that go beyond basic nutrition. Per the fresh pomegranate nutrition overview on WebMD, the arils are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and several B vitamins when eaten fresh.

Research suggests pomegranate extract may help improve antioxidant status and reduce some cardiovascular risk factors. One study also found that pomegranate consumption may reduce the incidence and severity of PMS symptoms, possibly due to its antioxidant and phytoestrogen effects. These findings come from individual studies and should be seen as suggestive, not conclusive.

A whole pomegranate also provides small amounts of calcium (about 4.6 mg) and iron (about 0.46 mg). While neither mineral is present in high concentrations, they contribute to the fruit’s overall nutritional profile alongside the more prominent fiber and vitamin C content.

Nutrient	Amount Per Whole Pomegranate (282g)	% Daily Value*
Vitamin C	~32% DV	32%
Fiber	11.3 g	~40%
Calcium	4.62 mg	<1%
Iron	0.46 mg	~3%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your individual needs may differ based on age, sex, and activity level.

The Bottom Line

A whole medium pomegranate contains about 234 calories, making it a moderate-calorie fruit with unusually high fiber and antioxidant content. The arils are the only edible part, and eating them fresh preserves the fiber that makes this fruit more filling than its calorie count suggests. Pomegranate fits easily into most eating patterns, whether you track calories or focus on overall nutrient quality.

If you’re managing calorie intake for weight goals, your registered dietitian or nutrition coach can help you fit pomegranate’s 234-calorie profile and 11 grams of fiber into your specific daily target without guesswork.