The Health Benefits Of Pomegranate

Delicious, juicy and jewel-like, pomegranate seeds are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre. Discover what else makes this ruby fruit so healthy.

Pomegrantesare round fruitswith hard, shiny red-yellow skins. Split one open to reveal the jewel-like inner seeds, known as arils, which can be eaten raw or juiced.

When choosing a pomegranate, look for those with unblemished, shiny skins and which feel heavy for their size, as these are often the juiciest.

Pomegranates are a good source of fibre as well as vitamins A, C, some B vitaminsand minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron.

Two compounds in pomegranates -punicalagins and punicic acid - are responsible for most of the health benefits of pomegranate. Pomegranatesalso haveantioxidant activity three times higherthan that of red wine and green tea.

Pomegranates are a good source of fibre as well as vitamins A, C, some B vitaminsand minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron.

Can pomegranates improve athletic performance?

The antioxidant contentof pomegranates and pomegranate juicemayimproveendurance and aerobic performance in athletes according to astudy intheJournal ofNutrition and Metabolism, during which 500ml of pomegranate juice was consumed byathletesfor 15 days. Another study also demonstrated thatpomegranate extract improved performancewithin 30 minutes of ingestion for sports involving intermittent running.

Also, there have been various studies into the potential anti-inflammatory propertiesof pomegranate. Initial researchhas indicatedthat the fruitmay help fight inflammation in the gut, while other studies have looked into the potential anti-inflammatory effects ofpunicic acid from pomegranate seed oil onbreast cancer cells. A paper inthe Journal of Research in Medical Sciences also reported asmall trial in which patients with type 2 diabetes consumed pomegranate juice each dayand showedfewer markers of inflammation in their bloodafter 12 weeks. Although all these studies are promising, more research is required before pomegranate can be claimed to haveanti-inflammatory effects.

Can pomegranates reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure?

A 2017 study considered the effectof consuming 150ml of pomegranate juice every day for two weeks on patients with hypertension,and found that it maylowerblood pressure. Another study from 2005 found that drinking pomegranate juice mayimproveblood flow to the heartin patients with coronary heart disease. However, as theNHS points out, studies withso few participants need to be replicated with larger sample sizesbefore they can confirma direct link.

Can pomegranates improve memory?

Research into how pomegranates and pomegranate juice may affect cognitive function is still in the early stages. One small trial asked participantswith mild age-associated memory complaints to drink 8oz of pomegranate juice daily, and found animprovement in verbal and visual tasksafter four weeks. Other research has suggested that pomegranate juice may havecognitive benefits in mice. Again, more robust research is needed before a health claim can be made for pomegranates and memory.