What are pomegranates?
Pomegranates are spherical fruits with firm, shining red-yellow skins that are ripe and ready to eat. One of the most delicious parts of this fruit is the jewel-like interior seeds, known as arils, which may be either raw or juiced.
Advantages in terms of nutrition
An 80g serving delivers the following nutrients:
A serving of 80g counts as one of your five-a-day servings.
The top five health benefits of pomegranate
Jump to:
- Advantages in terms of nutrition
- 1. It has the potential to lower the risk of heart disease
- 2. It has the potential to promote bone health
- 3. It has the potential to boost athletic performance
- 4. It is possible that it has anti-inflammatory qualities
- 5. It has the potential to boost memory
- Is it safe to eat pomegranates for everyone?
1. It has the potential to lower the risk of heart disease
Pomegranate has a high concentration of protective substances with antioxidant characteristics. These compounds are important to our health since they protect not only our cells from harm but also other components such as cholesterol from damage. This suggests that having pomegranate in your diet on a daily basis may be beneficial in lowering your risk of atherosclerosis.
Taking 150ml of pomegranate juice every day for two weeks on people with high blood pressure (hypertension) was the subject of research conducted in 2013, and the results revealed that it may assist to reduce blood pressure. Another research conducted in 2005 discovered that consuming pomegranate juice may help individuals with coronary heart disease by increasing blood flow to the heart. Although these were modest studies, the results would need to be confirmed with bigger sample sizes before researchers could conclude that there is a direct relationship between the two conditions.
2. It has the potential to promote bone health
Two studies conducted in 2014 and 2015 indicated that pomegranate intake seems to have a preventive impact on bone loss in mice; however, this has not been confirmed in human trials to far, and more research is needed. According to the results, both the juice and seed extract of pomegranates may have prospective health benefits, particularly for women in their mid-life who are menopausal.
3. It has the potential to boost athletic performance
Pomegranates and their juice have been shown to have high antioxidant content, which may help to postpone muscle pain and promote recovery following weight training sessions, according to 2016 research. Another research found that pomegranate extract increased performance in sports requiring intermittent running within 30 minutes of intake when consumed 30 minutes before the competition.
4. It is possible that it has anti-inflammatory qualities
Pomegranates have antioxidant activity that is three times more than that of red wine and green tea, therefore it is reasonable to anticipate them to have anti-inflammatory characteristics that are helpful. Studies on the possible anti-inflammatory benefits of pomegranate have been conducted in many different settings. Researchers believe that pomegranate seed oil, which contains an antioxidant compound called punicic acid, may be beneficial in fighting inflammation in the gut. Other studies have investigated the potential anti-inflammatory effects of punicic acid, which can be found in pomegranate seed oil, on breast cancer cells. In addition, a publication published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences described a small experiment in which individuals with type 2 diabetes received pomegranate juice every day for 12 weeks and exhibited a reduction in indicators of inflammation in their blood after that time.
Currently, investigations are being conducted to determine the impact of pomegranate juice on inflammatory markers in patients who have been admitted to the hospital with covid-19. Despite the fact that all of these trials are encouraging, additional study is necessary before pomegranate can be said to have particular anti-inflammatory properties.
5. It has the potential to boost memory
A preliminary investigation into how pomegranates and their juice may alter cognitive function is currently in the early phases of development. In one short study, individuals with modest age-associated memory complaints were instructed to consume 225ml of pomegranate juice every day for four weeks, and the results showed an improvement in verbal and visual skills after that time. Other research has revealed that pomegranate juice may have cognitive advantages in rats, according to the authors of the study. Pomegranates have been linked to improved memory in previous studies, but more thorough research is required before this claim can be substantiated.
Is it safe to eat pomegranates for everyone?
Some individuals may develop an allergy to pomegranate fruit as a result of cross-reactivity with other foods. For example, if you are sensitive to birch tree pollen, you may develop an allergy to certain fruits, including pomegranate.
In certain cases, pomegranate and pomegranate juice have been reported to interact negatively with prescription medications, such as those used to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol.
If you are on prescription medicine, please consult with your doctor before making any dietary changes to your regimen.
