Pomegranates are distinctive fruits, with ruby-red flesh that is full of seeds. They are often sidelined, but can form an important part of your diet and nutrition, and have many medicinal properties that can contribute to your wellness and wellbeing.
The fruit has actually been used in medicine for thousands of years. It comes from the Middle East, and claims about its properties include those who feel that it has a beneficial effect on blood pressure (reducing high blood pressure in particular) and it can also help to protect against some cancers, such as prostate cancer, and guard against heart disease and various types of inflammation.
Pomegranates are also a great source of dietary fibre, and contain important vitamins such as A, C and E as well as iron and various other antioxidants, such as tannins.
A small study carried out in 2006 seems to show that drinking a daily glass (around 227ml) of pomegranate juice can significantly slow down the progress of prostate cancer in men who are suffering with recurring prostate cancer. The study was conducted well, but further evidence is needed to help boost the findings.
Another study also showed the pomegranate may have an effect on cartoid artery stenosis (narrowing of the arteries). In this study, researchers found that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day could help to reduce the damage that cholesterol can do to the arteries. The study showed that the damage was reduced by almost half, but further studies are needed in order to support this evidence.
A study into the effects of pomegranate juice on heart disease was carried out on 45 patients in 2005. It seemed to show that when the patients suffering from coronary heart disease drank a daily glass of pomegranate juice for three months in a row, the result was improved blood flow to the heart, reducing the patient’s risk of having a heart attack.