Healthy Food – Health Benefits of Pomegranate

Healthy Food – Health Benefits of Pomegranate

Image by megspl from Pixabay

Pomegranate is the most mentioned fruit in religious books. It has incredible health benefits for the body. They are used in baking, cooking, juice, meal garnishes, smoothies.

Pomegranate has anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-tumor properties. It is a good source of vitamins A, C and folic acid.

Pomegranate has three times more antioxidants than green tea.

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

It thins our blood

Antioxidants present in pomegranate acts as thinner of our blood.

The seeds of pomegranate prevent our blood platelets from forming clots and coagulating. There are two types of blood clots. First is one which speeds the recovery during a cut or an injury. The second one is when there is any internal clot in heart, arteries or anywhere else inside the body. Second type of clots is not good and can be fatal.

Prevention of atherosclerosis

With age and type of lifestyle we live, the walls of our arteries become harder due to cholesterol resulting in blockages.

The anti oxidant property of pomegranate prevents bad cholesterol from oxidizing and removes excess fat. It prevents the hardening of artery walls.

It act like an oxygen mask

Pomegranate helps to push the level of oxygen in our blood. Due to antioxidants present in pomegranate, it helps to fight free radicals, reduce cholesterol and prevents blood clot.

As a results blood flows freely and improve the level of oxygen in our body.

It Prevents arthritis

Pomegranate can reduce the damage of the cartilage by fighting the enzyme responsible for it. It also has the ability to reduce inflammation.

Fights Erectile Dysfunction

Pomegranate juice can slightly improve erectile dysfunction.

Fights heart disease and prostate Cancer

Studies claim that pomegranate juice has the capability to fight prostate cancer. An experiment showed that pomegranate juice slowed the growth and killed cancer cells.

Pomegranate juice thins the blood and thus improves its condition preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Pomegranate is loaded with beneficial nutrients

A cup of pomegranate seed contains 24 grams of sugar and 144 calories and following nutrients.

Fiber: 7 grams

Protein: 3 grams

Folate: 16 per cent of the RDA

Potassium: 12 per cent of the RDA

Vitamin C: 30 per cent of the RDA

Vitamin K: 36 per cent of the RDA

Improves Memory

A study was conducted where people who had a problem with their memory were given 237ml of pomegranate juice daily. After certain duration of time, a lot of improvement was seen in their verbal and visual memory. In fact, another study done on mice shows that pomegranate consumption can also prevent Alzheimer. But this experiment is yet to be done on humans.

It Lowers Blood Pressure

One of the main constituents of pomegranate is Punicic acid that helps lower cholesterol, triglycerides and reduce blood pressure.

Helps in digestion

Fibre is good for digestion. Eating pomegranate daily is one of the best ways to include fibre in our diet. One pomegranate contains 45 per cent of our daily recommended intake of fibre.

Boost Immunity

Pomegranate can help us maintain a healthy immune system and keep common illnesses and infections at bay.

Pomegranates are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds. They are very healthy for those suffering from immune related disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. They are rich in vitamin C which boosts antibody production and helps in the development of immunity.

Lowers Stress Levels

Pomegranates reduce internal oxidative stress of body and psychological stress that we go through in our personal, professional life.

As per a study conducted by Queen Margaret University, people who drank pomegranate juice had lower levels of stress hormone cortisol which increases under stressful situations.

Prevent plaque formation

Pomegranate juice can be a better option to improve oral health than mouth wash. Certain compounds in pomegranate show strong antiplaque effects.

According to a study Hydroalcoholic extract of pomegranate effectively lowered dental plaque formation due to microorganisms build up by almost 84 per cent.

Note: Pomegranate juice is good for cardiovascular health but in rare cases it may react with a patient’s medication.