8. Pomegranates

Surprise, surprise I’ll bet you didn’t know that pomegranates were a berry. I didn’t either until I began reading about the health benefits of this large member of the berry family. The small seeds in the pomegranate are called arils and their bright red color gives you a clue as to how healthful and nutritious they are. As we have learned in this review of superfoods, bright colors usually are associated with health and nutrition. The ORAC value of pomegranates is 3302. Pomegranates are rich in fiber and vitamins C and B6. However, this is not the main reason we should be eating pomegranates. There are two unique substances in pomegranate arils that are primarily responsible for their health benefits. First, the punicalagins in this berry are extremely powerful. Punicalagins have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine or green tea. Second, punic acid, also known as pomegranate seed oil, is a type of conjugated linoleic acid that has several extremely beneficial health benefits. Chronic inflammation is a leading cause of many often-fatal diseases including heart disease, various forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity. The anti-inflammatory punicalagin’s in pomegranate juice help reduce the adverse effects of inflammation in these dread diseases. Here are some of the ways pomegranate juice can reduce risk of developing specific forms of cancer and other medical problems. Prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and over 22,000 men die from this cancer each year. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a blood marker for prostate cancer, it increases as the prostate cancer cells increase in number and invade normal body tissues. The PSA doubling time is a good indication of how fast the prostate cancer is spreading throughout the body. A recent study found that 8 ounces of pomegranate juice per day increased the PSA doubling time from 15 months to 54 months which, ladies and gentlemen, is huge! A follow-up study achieved similar results with a pomegranate extract called POMx. Now, no one is claiming that pomegranate juice provides a cure for prostate cancer. However, the juice of a pomegranate does inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells and increases the life span of those suffering from prostate cancer. To date, no studies have been performed to determine if pomegranate juice can inhibit the development of prostate cancer. Breast cancer Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. As with prostate cancer, pomegranate extract has been shown to inhibit the reproduction of breast cancer cells and may even kill them. Unfortunately, to date, there have been no human studies to confirm the value of pomegranate juice or extracts in the treatment or development of breast cancer cells. Why is this? Possibly, because such research would be extremely expensive and not cost effective considering the relatively low cost of pomegranate juice and extracts. Hypertension High blood pressure is one of the leading precursors to heart attacks and strokes. One study showed that people with hypertension had a significant reduction in blood pressure after consuming only 5 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for as little as two weeks. In this respect, pomegranate juice was especially useful in controlling systolic hypertension (the high number). Interestingly, I have hypertension and I can’t recall any of my doctors suggesting that I might start off my day by drinking a glass of pomegranate juice. Arthritis and joint pain Arthritis is one the most common malady’s in western civilization. Arthritis comes in many different forms but most types involve some form of inflammation of the joints. Given that many of the compounds in pomegranates have anti-inflammatory effects, it is not surprising that they would be helpful in the treatment of arthritis and joint pain. And this belief is substantiated by several laboratory studies. These studies have shown that pomegranate extract can block enzymes that are known to damage the joints of people who suffer from osteoarthritis. Pomegranate extracts are beneficial in the treatment of arthritis in mice. Human studies are needed to substantiate these finding in humans. Erectile dysfunction Oxidative damage can impair blood blow in all areas of the body. Pomegranate juice has been shown to increase the blood flow and erectile response in rabbits. In a study of 53 men with erectile dysfunction, pomegranate juice seemed to have some benefit but the results were not statistically significant. Fighting infections The nutrients in pomegranates can help prevent infections in the mouth and genital tract from harmful bacteria and yeasts such as Candida Albicans. They are particularly useful in conditions like gingivitis, periodontitis and denture stomatitis. Improving memory A substantial amount of evidence suggests that pomegranate extract can improve memory after surgery. Another study showed that 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily significantly improved markers of verbal and visual memory. There also is some evidence from studies in mice that pomegranate extract can prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise performance Pomegranates are rich in nitrates which are known to improve exercise performance. In one study of athletes running on a treadmill, one gram of pomegranate extract given 30 minutes before exercise significantly enhanced blood flow leading to a delay in the onset of fatigue and an increase in exercise efficiency. Summary When all is said and done, pomegranates are among the healthiest foods on the planet. They are indeed a superfood of the highest order right, up there with Goji berries and turmeric root. As with many of the more exotic superfoods, pomegranates are reasonably expensive as are their extracts. Fortunately, pomegranates are easy to grow. They can be grown as a bush or a tree.