Pomegranate Health Benefits

Pomegranate is high in anitoxidants and can provide us with health benefits in a number of ways.

Pomegranate is one of those fruits that are starting to make a bigger impact on our diet, as more studies and research are revealing more potential health benefits.

The pomegranate is originally from the Middle East and has since been cultivated in Europe, South East Asia and more recently in California and Arizona in the US.

Since its development as a healthy drink, pomegranate health benefits have been promoted far and wide. This is the usual response from producers and manufacturers who want to cash in on a new market. But are the many health claims all they’re cracked up to be, or is this simply a marketing exercise to get us to buy more?

It goes without saying these days that fruit and vegetables are an important part of our daily diet to keep us fit and well. Nearly all fruits contain a certain amount of beneficial nutrients like vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and folic acid. So is pomegranate any different to the regular fruits we are already consuming?

After doing quite a lot of research into pomegranate health benefits, I am able to conclude that this fruit is indeed a food source we should consider eating or drinking more of.

Here are some of the stats I’ve found that may interest you:

* A single pomegranate contains approx 40% of our recommended daily dose of vitamin C

* It is a rich source of vitamins A, E and folic acid

* A pomegranate contains 3 times the levels of antioxidants found in Green Tea and red wine. In fact it contains more antioxidants than any other natural food source.

* It is fat free and high in fiber

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

The facts and figures are all very well, but what we really want to know is how pomegranate can actually improve our health?

As you can imagine, the major health benefit comes from the high levels of antioxidants, specifically polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins. It has been shown that consuming a diet rich in natural antioxidants,

like those that come from fruits and vegetables, may help protect against free radical damage. The antioxidants found in pomegranate are excellent at fighting free radicals which cause various types of diseases.

The heart benefits from the antioxidants by receiving more oxygen which can help prevent heart disease. It also reduces bad LDL cholesterol levels, so keeping arteries from clotting and helping to prevent atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attacks.

Prevention of Osteoarthritis – Different studies have discovered that pomegranate juice acts as an enzyme inhibitor which may prevent cartilage deterioration.

Preliminary research albeit some of it on mice, has evaluated the antioxidant nature of pomegranate juice in its usefulness in fighting certain forms of cancer including breast skin and prostrate cancer.

Lowers Blood Pressure – One study showed that drinking 1.7 ounces of pomegranate juice per day lowered blood pressure by as much as 5 percent.

Help Protect Teeth – Research suggests that drinking pomegranate juice may be a natural way to prevent dental plaque.

Quite simply, pomegranate contains high amounts of the antioxidants your body needs to stay healthy and strong. I always used to drink green tea for this reason, but now I know how effective pomegranate is, I drink pomegranate juice instead. And it tastes so much better than green tea, which really is an acquired taste!

Pomegranate is considered one of those super foods and I highly recommend you give it a try. You can get your daily consumption by eating it raw for breakfast, as a delicious morning fruit juice or even in capsules as a supplement if you prefer a quick and easy fix.

The pomegranate juice I drink is organic with nothing added. It has quite a shape taste and you might want to dilute it with a small amount of water.

I hope you found this little article useful and have a better idea on how pomegranate can improve and protect your health.

If you have any experiences yourself with pomegranate and its benefits, please let me know by adding you comments here.

Sarah