Amazing Super Foods: Pomegranates
Monday, September 8th, 2008Pomegranates have been known for their sweet taste, amazingly vibrant colour and incredible nourishing powers for millennia. Pomegranates are a native Middle Eastern fruit that contain crunchy seeds surrounded by juicy pulp. While they are delicious, they can also be messy, and their vivid red juice can stain.
Recently they have remerged as one of the nature’s most powerful super fruits. They are packed with antioxidants and nutrients that promote health and wellbeing. In fact, their antioxidant levels are far higher than prunes, blackberries, Brussels sprouts and even green tea!
Pomegranates offer a range of health benefits that are continually be discovered.
A Healthy Heart
Studies have shown that pomegranates can have a positive effect on the health of our heart and entire cardiovascular system. Recent research has shown that pomegranates:
- Helped reduce the fatty deposit build up from the artery walls in mice
- Kept the cells of the heart and blood vessels healthy and less stressed
- Significantly reduced the progression of atherosclerosis by 30 percent in the mice that consumed it
- Increases the amount of blood flow to the heart by up to 30%
- Maintain balanced cholesterol levels
Healthy Brain Function
A new animal study published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease has found that pomegranates may reduce the build up of harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease by half.
Scientists believe Alzheimer’s is often caused by the build up of plaque from deposits associated with brain cell death due to oxidation and free radical damage, but pomegranates high antioxidant activity can offer protection.
Another study showed that mice that were fed pomegranates for six months scored higher on memory tests. It also showed that problems in the brain’s hippocampus, where memory is processed declined, giving hope that this wonder fruit may be useful in delaying dementia.
Anti Cancerous
Consumption of pomegranate seeds may prevent and/or help combat several kinds of cancer. This is because of the powerful phytonutrients contained in the fruit which have been proven to cause cancer cells to self-destruct. Breast cancer and prostate cancer have been particularly researched with promising results.
There is also much evidence to suggest that this potent fruit can help people who are receiving conventional cancer treatments to prevent reoccurrence.
Improved Sex Life
For some, the best benefit of pomegranates is the fact that it can improve their sex life. A study published in Clinical Nutrition (iii), claims that drinking pomegranate juice on a regular basis may boost the quality and mobility of sperm. There is also evidence to suggest that a glass a day could help reduce erectile dysfunction, which is increasingly becoming an issue for many men.
Hormone Balancer
Pomegranates seem to replace oestrogen, which is often prescribed to post menopausal women. Unfortunately, many synthetic forms of oestrogen are dangerous. Evidence substantiates such estrogenic qualities of pomegranates. Many women report relief from hot flashes and other menopausal problems when they indulge in this super fruit.
Protection from the Sun
In addition to other high antioxidant foods such as dark berries and watermelon, pomegranates are powerful sunburn protectors. A double-blind study over a four-week period showed that not only did the consumption of the fruit prevent sunburn, but the subjects also reported overall improvements in their complexions.
Several studies on mice have shown that topical application of pomegranate extract, prior to inducing skin cancer, reduced tumour incidence. Seventy percent of the treated mice did not develop skin cancer, while 100 percent of the untreated mice did.
Another benefit of using natural antioxidant sunscreens rather than traditional sun creams is that this method allows the person to absorb the much needed Vitamin D.
Beautiful Skin
In addition to protection from the sun, oil from pomegranates are commonly used in cosmetic products to add moisture, revitalize dull or mature skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, soothe minor skin irritations, improve skin elasticity and protect the skin.
Other benefits include relief from eczema, psoriasis and sunburn.
Anti Inflammatory
Pomegranates are high anti inflammatory. This is because it is high in natural fatty acids. The benefits of eating foods that reduce inflammation are endless. This action can help ease swelling and muscular aches and pains, and alleviate arthritis and rheumatism.
But reducing inflammation encourages total wellbeing. It helps to reduce stress, promotes glandular health and incredibly beautiful skin.
Great for Diabetes
In India, pomegranates have been used for the treatment of diabetes, and a recent study in showed that it can lower blood glucose levels in diabetic rats.
However, pomegranate juice can be loaded with sugar. Many experts believe that if you’re diabetic or hypoglycaemic, you should never drink these juices on an empty stomach. When you eat the actual fruit and its seeds rather than just the juice, the natural seed fibres slow the absorption of the pomegranate sugars. The glycemic index of pomegranate seeds is far lower than the glycemic index of pomegranate juice.
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