Pomegranate Benefits

Organic Pomegranate Max

With many known effects, pomegranate benefits have been discussed and put into practice for centuries by the cultures of Israel and India. The Mediterranean culture is one of the healthiest on earth and for years, the rest of the world has been trying to pinpoint what exactly makes the people so resistant to heart disease, many believe that it is because they use pomegranate daily. Maybe the answer lies in the unassuming pomegranate or perhaps its just good genetics. No one knows for sure, but whatever it is, it’s working.

A pomegranate is a fruit-bearing shrub native to the Middle East, ranging from Iran to the Himalayas in India. Pomegranates are also cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and also in California since 1769, when the Spanish first introduced the fruit to North America. The fruit is round and about the size of a very large apple. Breaking open the thick skin reveals a multitude of tiny, ruby red seeds. The riper the fruit, the sweeter the edible seeds are, although some people might like the tangy, sour taste of a fruit less ripened. Pomegranate juice is another product of this fruit quickly gaining popularity for its alleged health benefits.

Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants, quite possibly more antioxidant properties than red wine or green tea. Other benefits of pomegranates list the fruit as a source of folic acid (beneficial to pregnant women), potassium, niacin, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and are a rich source of fiber. It’s true that other fruits contain many different types of antioxidants, but the pomegranate is the only one to contain the three major antioxidants: tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. Antioxidants are what help to boost the body’s immune system. These high concentrations of antioxidants help to protect the body from the damaging effects of pollution, cancer diabetes and many other debilitating diseases. In some cases, increasing the body’s level of antioxidants is said to slow the aging process.

With such a high concentration of antioxidants, it’s no wonder that researchers believe that the major pomegranate benefits would help reduce heart disease, clogged arteries and hypertension.

Pomegranate benefits might also include relief from impotency and protection against prostate cancer. When men suffer from atherosclerosis, thickening of the blood vessels occurs throughout the body. The decreased blood flow can result in impotency. Antioxidants, especially the ones found in pomegranate juice, help to increase the blood flow and decrease the chances of hardening arteries.