Celebrated by ancient cultures for thousands of years, the noble pomegranate is fast becoming a national phenomenon in the western world.

Why Pomegranates?

The word, pomegranate, derived from Middle French, pomme garnete, literally means “seeded apple,” a very fitting name for this exotic looking fruit.  Covered by a thin, leathery skin, most pomegranates are deep red in color and about the size of a softball.  Pomegranates contain hundreds of seeds, each surrounded by juicy ruby-red pulp.  Both tart and sweet, the seeds and their pulp are the edible portion of the delicious fruit. 

Pomegranate Power

Modern science has only recently begun to realize the importance of this super antioxidant.  Dozens of recent studies suggest that pomegranates may be beneficial in preventing a variety of potentially deadly diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and even erectile dysfunction.

Pomegranates starting getting serious attention in 2002, when Israeli health studies found the the fruit to be rich in antioxidants. Now hailed as one the hot new super foods, research has confirmed that in addition to being high in vitamin C, pomegranates are also a rich source of folic acid, and vitamins A & E.  In addition, they contain a variety of minerals including calcium, potassium, and iron, plus three major antioxidants; tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid.  These are present in many fruits, but pomegranate juice contains particularly high amounts of all three, with more antioxidant power than red wine, cranberry juice, or green tea. 

 Why Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances in plants that protect the body from free radicals that interfere with normal cellular functions.  Free radicals abound in our modern world in the form of pollutants, food additives, pesticides, cigarette smoke, viruses, and bacteria.  Damage by unchecked free-radical compounds can manifest as serious illnesses.  For example, cancer is now known to be associated with free-radical damage to healthy cellular DNA.  Because antioxidants protect the body from these free radicals, they can help combat heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.  The powerful antioxidants in the fruit are also believed to help slow the aging process.

Pomegranate Benefits

Heart Health
Recent studies indicate that pomegranate may help to unclog arteries, reduce hypertension, and improve lipid profiles. In 2000, a group of Israeli scientists published their research findings in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition. According to the article, they were able to prove the effectiveness of pomegranates in treating atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart disease, and the number one killer in North America.  The researchers concluded that pomegranates might also be helpful in maintaining healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  Other studies have shown that pomegranate juice can significantly lower the systolic blood pressure of hyptertensive patients. It appears that pomegranate juice may offer a wide range of protection against cardiovascular diseases.

Cancer
Pomegranates cannot heal cancer on their own, but research studies are demonstrating that pomegranates may be helpful in the prevention and/or and treatment of various cancers including lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. Antioxidants are known to help prevent and repair DNA damage that can lead to cancer. According to a University of Wisconsin-Madison study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, pomegranate juice appears to trigger a process that genetically programs cancer cells to die.  Studies suggest that the rich antioxidants in pomegranate juice may retard the growth of prostate tumors.  In a separate study published in the Journal of Cancer, Wisconsin researchers found that pomegranate fruit extract possesses anti-skin-tumor-promoting effects and may possess chempreventive activity in a wide range of tumor models.  These findings support studies conducted in 2002 in South Dakota and Japan that explored pomegranate seed oil as a safe and effective agent against skin cancer and colon cancer tumors.  Studies released in 2001 by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology found that pomegranate seed oil destroyed 37 to 56 percent of the breast cancer cells in their target group. Another study published in the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment found that pomegranate oil inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer tumors by up to 90%.  The ellagic acid found in pomegranates has been identified as having potent antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

Menopausal Symptoms
Pomegranate has gained popularity for menopausal symptoms due to the increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and strokes from artificial hormone replacement therapy. Pomegranates contain estrone, a natural estrogen which is also produced by the human body. According to one study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2004, pomegranate extract improved the menopausal symptoms of depression and bone loss.

NATURAL ESTROGEN WITH
POMEGRANATE EXTRACT 60 CAPLETS

Alzheimer’s Disease
Although there are no proven ways to delay onset or slow progression of Alzheimer's disease, studies suggest that diet can affect risk. Pomegranates contain very high levels of antioxidant polyphenolic substances as compared to other fruits and vegetables. Researchers at Loma Linda University found that mice who drank pomegranate juice experienced 50 percent less brain degeneration than animals that consumed only sugar water.  The pomegranate drinkers also did better in mazes and tests as they aged.

More Pomegranate Benefits?

Ongoing Research

Researchers are at the very early stages of understanding all the potential health and medical benefits of pomegranates. With such amazing potential for the treatment and prevention of so many deadly diseases, pomegranates are likely to be the focus of modern medical research for some time to come.

From Pomegranate Benefits to Anti-Aging Benefits

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for treatment of any health problem. As with any herbal or dietary supplement, talk to your doctor before making pomegranate juice or pomegranate supplements a part of your regular diet.

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