The Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

Written by Lovelyn on April 10, 2009 – 5:04 pm -

I’ve always loved pomegranates. When I went grocery shopping with my mother as a child I would begged her to buy me a pomegranate. I always considered it to be some kind of special treat. To this day if I really want to treat myself to something special, I buy myself a pomegranate. That’s why I was so happy to learn that pomegranate juice–which is absolutely delicious–is good for me.

Pomegranate juice contains high levels of antioxidants, even higher than other natural fruit juices, red wine and green and white tea. When our cells use oxygen, they naturally product a by-product called a free radical. Free radicals bounce all around doing damage to cells. Antioxidants devour those free radicals thus limiting the cellular damage they can cause. Damage from free radicals is associated with different forms of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Speaking of heart disease, the American Journal of the College of Cardiology published a study in September of 2005 that showed that people who drank 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily got more oxygen to their heart muscle. That must be good, right? It also prevents the build-up of plaque in the arteries and lowers cholesterol.

Cancer better jump back because pomegranate juice is fighting that too. It slows the growth of prostate cancer and decreases the risk of breast cancer. It also helps prevent skin cancer.

But wait there’s more, pomegranate juice helps reduce the joint swelling and pain of osteoarthritis, lowers your blood pressure, protects the fetal brain from injury during pregnancy and helps prevent the build-up of plaque on your teeth.

If you’re still doubting pomegranate’s superfood status, it can cure you of diarrhea. Now that sounds pretty super to me.

While I prefer the challenge of eating the fruit most people prefer to drink the juice. Like grapefruit juice it can react badly with some medications. If your fine with grapefruit juice, pomegranate juice certainly won’t hurt anything, so give it a try.

Photo by JOE M500

Tweet This Stumble This