Pomegranates are among the healthiest fruits on earth.
They contain a range of beneficial plant compounds, unrivaled by other foods.
Many studies have shown that they haveincredible benefits for your body, and may lower the risk of all sorts of diseases (1)
Here are evidence-based health benefits of pomegranate.
1. Pomegranates Are Loaded With Important Nutrients
The pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is a shrub that produces a red fruit (1).
Categorized as a berry, the pomegranate is about 5-12 cm (2-5 inches) in diameter.
It is red, round and looks kind of like a red apple with a flower-shaped stem.
The skin of the pomegranate is thick and inedible, but there are hundreds of edible seeds called arils within.
The arils are what people eat, either raw or processed into pomegranate juice.
Pomegranates have an impressive nutrient profile: One cup of arils (174 grams) contains (2):
Fiber: 7 grams.Protein: 3 grams.Vitamin C: 30% of the RDA.Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA.Folate: 16% of the RDA.Potassium: 12% of the RDA.
The pomegranate arils (seeds) are also very sweet, with one cup containing 24 gram of sugar and 144 calories.
However, where pomegranates reallyshine is in their content of powerful plant compounds, some of which have potent medicinal properties.
BOTTOM LINE:The pomegranate is a fruit that contains hundreds of edible seeds called arils. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and bioactive plant compounds, but they also contain some sugar.
2. Pomegranates Contain Two Plant Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties
There are two unique substances in pomegranates that are responsible for most of their health benefits.
Punicalagins
punicalagins are extremely powerful antioxidants found in the juice and peel of a pomegranate.
They are so powerful that pomegranate juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea (3).
Pomegranate extract and powder is typically made from the peel, due to its high antioxidant and punicalagin content.
Punicic Acid
punicic
acide, also known as pomegranate seed oil, is the main fatty acid in the arils.
It is a type of conjugated
leno leik with potent biological effects.
BOTTOM LINE:Pomegranates contain punicalagins and punicic acid, unique substances that are responsible for most of their health benefits.
3. Pomegranate Has Impressive Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Chronic inflammation is among the leading drivers of many killer diseases.
This includes heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even obesity.
Pomegranate has potent anty inflammatory properties, which are largely mediated by the antioxidant properties of the punicalagins.
Test tube studies have shown that it can reduce inflammatory activity in the digestive tract, as well as in breast cancer and colon cancer cells (4, 5, 6).
One study in diabetics found that 250 ml of pomegranate juice per day for 12 weeks lowered the inflammatory markers CRP and interleukin-6 by 32% and 30%, respectively (7).
BOTTOM LINE:The punicalagins in pomegranate juice have been shown to reduce inflammation, one of the leading drivers of many killer diseases.
4. Pomegranate May Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men.
Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can slow down cancer cell reproduction, and even induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells (8, 9).
The PSA (prostate specific antigen) is a blood marker for prostate cancer.
Men whose PSA levels double in a short period of time are at increased risk of death from prostate cancer.
Interestingly, a human study found that 237 ml (8 oz) of pomegranate juice per day increased the PSA doubling time from 15 months
to 54 months, which is huge (10).
A follow-up study found similar improvements using a type of pomegranate extract called POMx (11).
BOTTOM LINE:There is preliminary evidence that pomegranate juice can be useful in men with prostate cancer, potentially inhibiting cancer growth and lowering the risk of death.
5. Pomegranate May Also be Useful Against Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women.
Pomegranate extract has been shown to inhibit reproduction of breast cancer cells, and may even kill some of them (12,13,14).
However, this is currently limited to laboratory studies. More research is needed.
BOTTOM LINE:Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can help fight breast cancer cells, but human studies are needed to confirm this.
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