Pomegranates contain antioxidants that offer multiple health benefits. Because fresh pomegranates are available only from October to January, pomegranate juice offers a year-round source. Look for juice brands that contain 100 percent juice rather than flavored juice blends, which do not provide all the benefits of pomegranates.
Stable Blood Sugar Levels
Although pomegranate juice has naturally occurring sugars, it does not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar as do other juices, reports Natural Health Magazine. This makes pomegranate juice a good option for diabetics who must carefully monitor their sugar intake and insulin levels.
Heart Disease Prevention
Drinking pomegranate juice may help prevent hardening of the arteries, a condition that can lead to heart disease. The high amount of polyphenols in pomegranate juice may help block or slow cholesterol buildup, says Mayo Clinic cardiologist Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D. A review of research on pomegranate juice and heart health published in the journal Nutrition Review in January 2009 concluded that pomegranate juice's positive effects on cholesterol in mice and its ability to reduce symptoms in patients with high blood pressure suggest that pomegranate juice can play a role in a heart-healthy diet.
Cancer Therapy
Pomegranate juice may be effective in treating several different types of cancer. In the journal Integrative Cancer Therapy in September 2009, University of Michigan researchers found that the polyphenols in pomegranate juice may reduce the growth of aggressive breast cancer cells. Another study, in the journal Carcinogenesis in January 2007 found that pomegranate juice can be an effective therapy for lung cancer. Mayo Clinic urologist Erik Castle, M.D., sites evidence that pomegranate juice may slow the progression of prostate cancer.
References
- Carcinogenesis: Pomegranate Fruit Extract Inhibits Prosurvival Pathways in Human A549 Lung Carcinoma Cells and Tumor Growth in Athymic Nude Mice
- Mayo Clinic: Pomegranate Juice, A Cure for Prostate Cancer?
- Natural Health Magazine: Is Pomegranate Juice Good For You?
- Nutrition Review: Pomegranate Juice: A Heart-Healthy Fruit Juice
- Mayo Clinic: Can Drinking Pomegranate Juice Help Lower My Cholesterol
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