10 Health Benefits of Pomegranate. Know about its Impressive Health Nutrient profile
Pomegranates are among the healthiest fruits on Earth, having various health benefits.
They contain a wide range of beneficial plant compounds also, unrivaled by other foods.
Studies have shown that Pomegranates may have several benefits for your body, possibly lowering your risk of various diseases.
Here are 10 health benefits of pomegranates.
1. Pomegranates Are Loaded With Important Nutrients
The seeds and arils are the edible parts of this fruit which can be eaten either raw or processed into pomegranate juice , but the peel is discarded.
Pomegranates have a health impressive nutrient profile - one cup of arils :
Fiber: 7 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Vitamin C: 30% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDI
Folate: 16% of the RDI
Potassium: 12% of the RDI
The pomegranate arils are also very sweet, which contains 24 grams of sugar and 144 calories.
2. Pomegranates Contain Two Plant Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties
Pomegranates are pack with two unique substances that are responsible for most of their health benefits.
* Punicalagins
Punicalagins are extremely potent antioxidants which is basically found in pomegranate juice and peel.
They are so powerful that pomegranate juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity that of red wine and green tea.
Pomegranate extract and the powder is basically made from the peel, due to its high antioxidant and punicalagin content.
* Punicic Acid
Punicic acid is found in pomegranate seed oil which is the main fatty acid in the arils.
It’s a type of conjugated linoleic acid with powerful biological effects.
3. Pomegranate Has Impressive Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Chronic inflammation is one of the major drivers of many serious diseases. This includes heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity also .
Pomegranates have potent anti-inflammatory properties, which are largely mediated by the antioxidant properties of the punicalagins.
Test-tube studies have shown that they can also reduce inflammatory activity in our digestive tract, as well as in breast cancer and colon cancer cells too.
One 13-week study in people with diabetes found that [around 1.1 cups (250 ml) of pomegranate juice per day lowered the inflammatory markers CRP and interleukin-6 by 33% and 30%, respectively.
If people are interested in reducing inflammation in their body, pomegranate is an excellent addition to their diet.
4. Pomegranate May Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a common type of cancer mostly in men.
Some studies suggest that pomegranate extract may slow cancer cell reproduction and even induce apoptosis, or cell death, in cancer cells.
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a blood marker for prostate cancer, Men whose PSA levels double in a very short interval are at an increased risk of death from prostate cancer.
Interestingly, a human study found that drinking around 8 ounces (237 ml) of pomegranate juice per day increased the PSA doubling time from around 14 months to 55 months - a monumental increase.
A follow-up study found same improvements using a type of pomegranate extract called POMx .
5. Pomegranate May Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the leading drivers of heart attacks and strokes around the world.
In one study, people with high blood pressure had a significant reduction in blood pressure after consuming around 5 ounces (150 ml) of pomegranate juice daily for two weeks.
Other studies have found same type of effects, typically for systolic blood pressure, which is the higher number in a blood pressure reading .
6. Pomegranate Juice May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
Heart disease is currently the most common cause of premature death around the world.
It’s a complicated disease which can be driven by many different factors.
Punicic acid, the main fatty acid in pomegranate, may also help to protect against several steps in the heart disease process.
A 5-week study in 50 people with high triglyceride levels showed that around 800 mg of pomegranate seed oil per day significantly lowered triglycerides and improved the triglyceride-HDL ratio.
Another study found that the effects of pomegranate juice in people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, They noted some significant reductions in “bad” LDL cholesterol, as well as other improvements .
Pomegranate juice has also been shown in both human as well as animal studies to protect LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, one of the major steps in the pathway towards heart disease.
Finally, research analysis concluded that pomegranate juice is a good source to reduce high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.
7. Pomegranate May Improve Exercise Performance
Pomegranate is rich in dietary nitrates, which has also shown to improve exercise performance.
A study in 20 athletes running on a treadmill showed that one gram of pomegranate extract around 30 minutes before exercise significantly enhanced blood flow, delaying the onset of fatigue and also increasing exercise efficiency .
More studies are needed, but it seems that pomegranate like beets may also be beneficial for physical activities.
8. Pomegranate Can Help Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections
The plant compounds in pomegranate can help to fight with harmful microorganisms.
For example, it has been shown to combat some types of bacteria as well as the yeast Candida albicans.
The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects may also be protective against infections and inflammation in our mouth. This includes conditions like gingivitis, periodontitis, denture stomatitis, etc.
9. Pomegranate May Help Improve Memory
There is some evidence that pomegranate can improve memory as well.
One study in surgical patients found that approx 2 grams of pomegranate extract prevented deficits in memory after surgery.
Another study in 30 older adults also found that those with memory complaints having 8 ounces (237 ml) of pomegranate juice per day significantly improved markers of verbal and visual memory.
10. Pomegranate Juice May Help Treat Erectile Dysfunction
Oxidative damage can cause impair blood flow in all areas of the body, including erectile tissue.
Pomegranate juice has also been shown to help increase blood flow.
In a study in 50 men with erectile dysfunction, pomegranate appeared to have some benefit but it was not statistically significant.
CONCLUDE
Pomegranates are one of the healthiest foods on the earth, packed with nutrients and powerful plant compounds.
They contain wide-ranging benefits and may help reduce your risk of various serious illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
They may boost your memory and exercise performance as well.