Nature's Perfect Fruit: The Pomegranate?

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Nature's Perfect Fruit: The Pomegranate

 

The antioxidant- rich pomegranate is hailed by fitness experts,

health officials and the media

The all-powerful pomegranate. The health benefits of this delicious

exotic fruit are extraordinary: pomegranate juice has almost three

times the antioxidant potency of an equal volume of green tea or red

wine.

And for an aging society that is increasingly health conscious, that

rightfully puts pomegranates on a very high pedestal. Why? Because

antioxidants help neutralize free radical damage. Free radicals are

highly reactive chemical substances that can damage our body's

cellular materials. Free radicals have been linked to major

degenerative illnesses and accelerated aging.

According to a study is published in the American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition: " Pomegranates are proving to be the most powerful

antioxidant source available, better than red wine, tomatoes, vitamin

E and a variety of other headline makers. "

You know the pomegranate is hot when even the fashion press shouts

its praises. A recent article in Vogue magazine exclaims: " Move over,

blueberries - it's all about pomegranates. Scientists have been

obsessing over the fruit more than ever. Labs have discovered

pomegranates are good for the heart! "

Flex magazine writes: " Pomegranates are a great source of

antioxidants, in fact, the juice from pomegranates is higher in

antioxidants than any other drink. "

And a Reuters story was headlined: " Pomegranate Juice Each Day May

Keep the Cardiologist Away. "

This fruit may also help lower cholesterol, studies show. In a study

published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, men drinking

pomegranate juice significantly increased the antioxidant level in

their blood, and reduced oxidation of LDL ( " bad " ) cholesterol. Other

studies indicate a diversity of benefits beyond cardiovascular

health.

Time magazine recently profiled the exceptional health benefits of

the pomegranate fruit under the heading " Pomegranate Power. " Time

writes: " The pomegranate, with its regal crown and sparkling scarlet

arils, is the 'in' fruit among American's leading health buffs. And

for good reason - it has a tart, refreshing flavor, an ancient

lineage, and provides a wallop of antioxidants. "

Pomegranates also contain various nutritious and pharmacological

substances such as vitamins (B1, B2, C and niacin), minerals

(potassium, in particular), amino acids (glutanic acid, aspartic

acid), tannins (punicalagin, ellagic acid) and alkaloids

(pelletierines) . As a potent source of antioxidants, the pomegranate

is rich in polyphenols, which promote heart health.

In a strong confirmation of the power of pomegranates to fight heart

disease, studies of healthy human subjects showed why even moderate

consumption of pomegranate juice could have significant clinical

results.

According to studies at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology,

the cholesterol oxidation process - which creates atherosclerotic

lesions that narrow arteries and result in heart disease - was slowed

by as much as 40 percent when healthy subjects drank 2 to 3 ounces of

pomegranate juice a day for two weeks. Further, the juice reduced the

retention of LDL, the " bad " cholesterol that after its oxidation

aggregates and forms atherosclerotic lesions.

 

Val