Pomegranate
It's Beauty and Health Benefits
Pomegranates with their beautiful red juicy seeds are one among the most popular fruits in the world. Besides the juicy tart flavor, it is also famous for the innumerable health benefits. It is also believed that pomegranate is one of the earliest fruits which have been cultivated together with dates, olives, figs and grapes.
Pomegranates are also associated with rebirth, health and fertility since time immemorial through many mythological stories. Pomegranate health benefits may include boosting the body’s natural defense against the Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, heart and coronary diseases and several cancers.
Nutritional Facts of Pomegranate
- These are rich in fiber and vitamin C. These also contain minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium, along with other nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin E.
- This fruit is referred to as super fruit. This fruit contains antioxidants that help to reduce harmful effects of free radicals or oxidants as well as repair the damaged cells.
- 100 grams of raw pomegranate contains 68 calories. Nearly 8oz of its juice contains about 130 – 150 calories. It does not contain fat or cholesterol but contains 32 grams of sugar.
Health Benefits of Pomegranates
Cancer
Pomegranates contain high levels of flavenoids - a type of antioxidant - which are exceptionally effective at neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals.
Published research suggests that the fruit may be effective at fighting both breast and skin cancer. American scientists have also found that another of the health benefits of pomegranate juice is the way in which it slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells in mice injected with the human form of the disease.
Heart disease
New research has found that one glass of pomegranate juice a day could improve blood flow to the heart by more than a third. The fruit's antioxidant properties prevent bad cholesterol from forming, which keeps the arteries clear and reduces the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.
A separate study found that drinking pomegranate juice regularly can also dramatically reduce the size of atherosclerosis lesions, which narrow the arteries and cause heart failure.
Osteoarthritis
The most recent revelation about the pomegranate's health benefits suggests that extracts of the fruit could prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.
Scientists in America treated samples of human cartilage damaged by osteoarthritis with the extract and found that it inhibited the production of the enzyme responsible for causing the damage. Further research is needed to establish whether consuming the extract could protect cartilage as effectively.
Pomegranate is a powerful fruit that can help you in so many ways! It however is not the only superfruit that the Earth has provided us. There are others. Others like Acai, Lychee,Gogi, Gac, and Mangosteen.
