Pomegranate Juice: are You a Believer?

Unless you lived under a rock for the past year, you would know there has been a pomegranate craze in this country mostly due to high praise from celebrities.  The number of Americans buying pomegranate juice has quadrupled since 2002!  Last year alone, more than 400 products containing this special fruit have been introduced to us.  Some say it is too expensive because of the recent trend, but the health benefits surely outweigh the price! 

The pomegranate is a super fruit (a term coined by the food and beverage industry), which has exceptional nutrient richness and antioxidant quality with appealing taste.  It is very rich in antioxidants containing polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins.  Antioxidants are substances that protect cells against the effects of free radicals which damage cells.  It actually has three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea.  The actual fruit looks rather unusual and the classy color has inspired many interior designers.  It is cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production.

There are priceless benefits in drinking pomegranate juice.  It works well as a blood thinner, promoting blood flow to the heart, hence preventing heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.  It has also been shown to reduce plaque in arteries and raise good levels of cholesterol and help bad cholesterol.  It has been tentatively shown to reduce incidences in breast and skin cancer.   In recent testing, it slows the growth of prostate cancer in mice.  There has also been a link with arthritis by acting as an inhibitor on enzymes responsible for damaging cartilage.  This testing is still at a preliminary stage, though. 

One glass contains 40% of U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.  It also has vitamin A, E, and folic acid.  If you haven’t already tried some pomegranate juice, what are you waiting for?  Try mixing it in other healthy beverages such as pineapple or orange juice to stretch it out a little and mask the tart taste.