Pomegranates are small, crimson fruits with spherical shapes. The white inner meat is thickly packed with crisp, juicy edible seeds known as arils.
These unusual fruits are most known for the vibrantly colored juice they’re frequently used in, but they have a lot more to offer.
Pomegranates are worth including in your healthy eating routine since they have the ability to help with a variety of health issues, including immunity and brain function.
Pomegranates have been used for their health advantages for many years. Pomegranates have been discovered to help protect your heart and may even prevent cancer, according to modern science.
Pomegranate is a fruit with thick, crimson skin that is sweet and sour. While the skin isn’t edible, the seeds within contain hundreds of delicious seeds that can be eaten straight or sprinkled on salads, cereals, hummus, and other foods. Pomegranate juice in a bottle is another convenient option to get some of the fruit’s health advantages.
Pomegranates are a type of fruit that grows on trees. To develop and ripen these firm, delicious fruits, these trees require a lot of heat. Pomegranates are native to the Middle East and parts of Asia, but they can be grown in the United States as well.
Pomegranates are primarily grown in California. They’re in season from September to November, but because of their long shelf life, you can usually get them until January in grocery stores.
The many nutritional and physiological benefits of pomegranates are discussed in this article.
Table of Contents
1. Rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that help protect your body’s cells from free radical harm. Although free radicals are always present in the body, too many of them can be toxic and contribute to a variety of chronic disorders.
Pomegranates are high in antioxidants and polyphenolic chemicals, which protect against this type of damage. Punicalagins, anthocyanins, and hydrolyzable tannins are the principal bioactive antioxidant chemicals found in pomegranates.
Consuming antioxidants from fruits and vegetables like pomegranates is a terrific method to boost your general health and avoid sickness.
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2. Controlling Diabetes
In preliminary investigations, persons with type 2 diabetes who started drinking pomegranate juice saw a reduction in insulin resistance. Pomegranates can also aid weight management in persons who do not have diabetes.
3. It’s possible that it has anti-cancer qualities
Compounds present in pomegranate fruit, juice, and oil have been shown in test tubes to help kill cancer cells or delay their spread in the body.
Pomegranate appears to help combat inflammation and reduce cancer cell growth in both test-tube and human trials. In fact, the fruit has been shown to have anti-tumor properties in lung, breast, prostate, skin, and colon malignancies.
Pomegranate has also been shown in animal studies to help reduce tumor growth in the early stages of liver cancer. It also aids in the reduction of inflammatory and oxidative stress responses.
Pomegranate extract may also be effective for decreasing the growth of prostate cancer cells or perhaps cause their death, according to an older test-tube study.
PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is a blood marker for prostate cancer. When PSA levels double in a short period of time, it means you’re at a much higher risk of dying from prostate cancer.
In two previous studies, feeding men pomegranate juice or extract dramatically extended the PSA doubling time period, lowering the chance of prostate cancer death.
4. Antimicrobial characteristics are possible
Pomegranate chemicals may aid in the battle against dangerous microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and yeast.
For example, previous and current research suggests that they may safeguard your oral health by targeting undesired oral microorganisms that might become harmful when overgrown, such as those that produce bad breath and promote tooth decay.
Pomegranate chemicals also demonstrated antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen common in wet conditions that can cause serious disease if eaten, according to a test-tube study.
5. Brain-healthy
Pomegranates include ellagitannins, which are antioxidants that help the body fight inflammation.
As a result, they protect your brain against inflammatory and oxidative stress-related disorders.
According to some research, ellagitannins may protect the brain from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease by lowering oxidative damage and boosting brain cell survival.
They could also help with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury healing. Pomegranate ellagitannins are thought to aid in the production of urolithin A, a chemical that has been researched for its capacity to lower brain inflammation and postpone the onset of cognitive illnesses.
More research is needed, however, to fully comprehend the possible link between pomegranates and brain health.
6. It’s possible that it’ll help your heart
Fruits high in polyphenolic chemicals, like pomegranate, have been shown to be beneficial to heart health.
Pomegranate extract appears to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the arteries, lower blood pressure, and aid in the prevention of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes) in test-tube experiments.
People with heart disease were given one cup (220 mL) of pomegranate juice every day for five days in one human research. The juice lowered the frequency and severity of chest pain, as well as some blood indicators that suggest a heart-healthy effect.
Despite this, there is a scarcity of high-quality human research on pomegranates and heart health.
7. Helps the digestive system.
Digestive health, which is mostly influenced by gut bacteria, is significantly linked to overall health, according to both old and recent research. As a result, it’s critical to take care of your digestive system, and pomegranate can help.
Pomegranate has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits that need gastrointestinal function and are mostly due to its ellagic acid concentration, according to some older and current animal studies.
Pomegranate has also been shown in test tubes to boost levels of healthy gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, implying that it may have prebiotic properties.
Prebiotics are chemicals, most commonly fiber, that serve as fuel for the healthy bacteria in your digestive tract, also known as probiotics. Prebiotics promote the growth of these bacteria, resulting in healthy gut microbiota.
Pomegranate arils are very high in fiber, with about 3.5 grams per 1/2 cup (87 grams) serving.
Constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and diverticulitis are just a few of the digestive diseases that fiber can help prevent.
8. Encourage urinary health
Pomegranate extract has been demonstrated to prevent the production of kidney stones in both test tubes and humans, a benefit that is mostly related to its antioxidant activity.
Adults ages 18–70 who had recurring kidney stones were given 1,000 mg of pomegranate extract for 90 days in one research. This was discovered to aid in the inhibition of the mechanism that causes stones to develop in the body.
Pomegranate extract has also been shown in animal experiments to help manage the concentrations of oxalates, calcium, and phosphates in the blood, all of which are major components of kidney stones.
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Conclusion
Pomegranates are delicious, luscious fruits with nutritious arils packed securely inside. They’re high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and they even have protein in them.
Punicalagins, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance, are abundant in them. These have been researched for their cardiac, urinary, brain, digestive, and prostate health advantages.
Pomegranate may also have anti-cancer properties, as well as the ability to enhance workout endurance and muscle repair, as well as fight against hazardous microorganisms.
Despite the absence of human studies on some of these possible benefits, it’s safe to conclude that pomegranate is a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet.
