Pomegranate Health Benefits, Risks and Tips

The word pomegranate is old French for “seeded apple,” a fitting name for this apple-size fruit filled with jewel-like clusters of red seeds. Pomegranates have a leathery, deep red to purplish rind. The interior is bursting with hundreds of tiny, edible seeds packed into compartments called arils and separated by bitter, cream-colored membranes. The fruit can be eaten by deeply scoring it vertically and then breaking it apart. The clusters of juice sacs are then lifted out and eaten. Pomegranates are a good source of potassium. One fruit contains about 400 mg, more than in most oranges. They also contain vitamin C and fiber. Pomegranates and their juice are rich in anthocyanins and ellagic acid, both of which have antioxidant properties.

WARNING! FOOD-DRUG INTERACTION

Pomegranates can affect how the liver processes medications. Eating a pomegranate or drinking pomegranate juice can increase the side effects of medications, too. Such medications include fluoxetine, codeine, and ondansetron. Also, some heart medications, such as ACE inhibitors, can be affected by pomegranates. Eating pomegrantes while taking blood pressure medication could cause your blood pressure to go too low.

Health Benefits

Helps treat prostate cancer.
Researchers at UCLA measured patients’ prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood levels, which help indicate the presence of cancer. They found that drinking 8 oz (237 mL) of pomegranate juice daily significantly slowed rising PSA levels in patients previously treated for the disease.

Lowers cholesterol levels.
Research has shown that pomegranate juice has two to three times the antioxidant capacity of equal amounts of red wine or green tea, and anthocyanins make an important contribution to the pomegranate’s antioxidant power. 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 cholesterol.

Lowers blood pressure.
Because of the rich antioxidant levels pomegranate juice provides, researchers have also found it can play a role in reducing hypertension.

Improves erectile dysfunction.
A study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research found that drinking about 8 oz of 100% pomegranate juice each day can help with erectile dysfunction and impotence. At the end of the study, 47% of the participants reported that their erections improved with the use of pomegranate juice.

Health Risks

Drug interactions.
While the benefits of pomegranate juice are clear, there have been a few reports of the juice causing complications for people taking some heart medications. If you’re under the care of a physician for heart disease, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor before drinking regular amounts of pomegranate juice.

Eating Tips
• Add pomegranate seeds to mixed green salads.
• Make a virgin sangria with pomegranate juice.
• Stir pomegranate seeds into guacamole.

Buying Tips
• Choose those that are heavy for their size and have a bright, fresh color and blemish-free skin.
• If purchasing a juice, look for products labeled “100% pure pomegranate juice” for the most nutritional value.

Storing Tips
• Refrigerate fresh pomegranates for up to 2 months or store in a cool, dark place for up to a month.

QUICK TIP:
Add anti-sun seeds Tossing some pomegranate seeds onto your summer salads may be good for your skin. Scientists have discovered that nutrients in pomegranates can reduce the ability of UVB radiation to cause cancer-promoting damage in skin cells, including alteration of NF-kappa, a pre-cancerous biomarker.