Pomegranates and acai berries are two of the most healthy, high-antioxidant fruits on Earth. Both provide a wide arrange of benefits for heart health, anti-aging, cancer prevention and overall well-being. As natural foods, they do not generally cause side effects in most people. However, pomegranates and acai may cause allergies, gastrointestinal upset, detoxification symptoms and drug interactions.
Allergies
Pomegranate and acai can cause allergic reactions just like any other food. Acai in particular has been reported to aggravate pre-existing pollen allergies. The acai berries, which are from a palm-like tree, may also trigger palm allergies. Signs of allergy include unexplained rash, difficulty breathing or swallowing, and/or swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or throat. Consult your doctor immediately if you encounter any of these side effects.
Gastrointestinal
Overeating acai berries or pomegranate can cause many gastrointestinal issues, just like any other fruit. Common side effects of overconsumption include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. Symptoms can be mild to extreme and may last as long as minutes or hours. Contact your doctor if side effects persist.
Detoxification Effects
Both pomegranates and acai berries are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to detoxify the body by scavenging and neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause damage to cell membranes, DNA and other tissues of the body. Pomegranate and acai antioxidants detox our bodies at the cellular level. A common side effect of detoxification is more frequent bowel movements, indicating that the body is eliminating more toxins. Acai, in particular, helps to clean out the colon and intestines, which leads to the beneficial side effect of increased regularity.
Drug Interactions
Pomegranate may interfere with blood pressure medications due to its vaso-dilating or blood vessel-widening effect. This may result in excessively low blood pressure, which can be very dangerous. Pomegranate is also reported to restrain some liver enzymes, which could cause an accumulation of certain medications in the body, leading to toxicity. Both acai and pomegranate are known to inhibit the COX inflammatory enzymes and, therefore, could interact with drugs that perform the same function. Always check with your doctor before adding large amounts of acai or pomegranate to your diet.
Member Comments