Fruit of paradise

health

Packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, pomegranate is one of the most popular fruits with a unique flavour and health promoting characteristics. You! takes a look...

Delicious, juicy and jewel-like pomegranate seeds surely tantalise your taste buds as soon as you put the tiny ruby seeds in your mouth. A pomegranate is not only a unique combination of crunchiness and juiciness but its nutritional value and powerful antioxidants helps in safeguarding your health.

Did you know that this nutrient rich fruit, which is also known as ‘fruit of paradise’ and ‘seeded apple’, was one of the earliest cultivated fruits? In fact, pomegranate is revered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life. Read on to find out what else makes this ruby fruit so healthy...

Benefits of pomegranates

A pomegranate has antioxidant, anti-viral and anti-tumour properties and is loaded with iron, vitamin C, potassium, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. The fruit is also a good source of many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), folates, pyridoxine and vitamin K, and minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, and manganese. A pomegranate is moderate in calories; 100 g provides 83 calories, slightly more than that in the apples. Due to its low calorie count nutritionists suggest weight watchers to incorporate pomegranates in their daily diet. Also, it is a good source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibres, which aid in smooth digestion and bowel movements. It is a natural aphrodisiac fruit which stimulates love emotion and sexual desire as well.

Bye-bye stress

Apart from reducing the body’s internal oxidative stress, pomegranates also help lower psychological stress. According to a study conducted, people who drank pomegranate juice had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that is increased under stressful situations.

Boosts immunity

Being rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, pomegranates are extremely healthy for those suffering from immune-related disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. They are also rich in vitamin C, which boosts antibody production and development of immunity. Pomegranates can thus help you maintain a healthy immune system.

Say no to wrinkles

Ever wondered why we grow old and our skin develops wrinkles and other signs of ageing? Well, it is because of free radical damage that affects our cells. Polyphenolic compounds found in the fruit are powerful antioxidants that can delay the process of ageing. Therefore, eating pomegranate keeps your skin glowing and radiant for a long time.

Helps in digestion

To keep your digestive system healthy, you need to include fibre-rich sources in your diet. However, our busy lifestyle and personal liking for junk food have deprived us of the goodness of fibre in fruits and vegetables. Eating a pomegranate every day is a good way to add fibre to your daily diet. One pomegranate can fulfil about 45 per cent of your daily recommended intake of fibre, which is about 20 to 35 grams.

High blood pressure no more

The fruit helps lower blood pressure by preventing the activity of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme. Punicic acid is one of the main constituents of pomegranates that help lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.

Prevents heart disease

Pomegranates are loaded with polyphenols that have powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants prevent free radical damage of the walls of arteries, thus preventing heart disease. They also prevent oxidation of cholesterol, which causes plaque formation and development of coronary artery disease.

Lowers cholesterol levels

A recent study suggests that drinking as little as one-quarter cup of pomegranate juice daily may improve cardiovascular health by significantly reducing oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Due to its antioxidant power; pomegranate juice has two to three times the antioxidant capacity of equal amounts of green tea.

Keeps Alzheimer’s at bay

Researchers suggest that pomegranates play an important role in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. A study shows that pomegranate juice reduces the deposition and accumulation of amyloid in the hippocampus region of the brain by 50 per cent.

Prevents cancer

From prostate cancer to breast cancer, lung cancer and skin cancer, pomegranates can help prevent and treat several forms of cancer. This property of the delicious fruit is also attributed to the presence of polyphenol antioxidants in them. Studies have shown that pomegranate juice can inhibit the growth of tumour cells and induce natural death in them. Certain compounds in pomegranates have an anti-inflammatory ability that also contributes to its anti-cancer property.