One of the most beloved and popular fruits, pomegranate, contains in its juice the very essence of good health. Whether it is pomegranate’s antioxidant, antimicrobial, or anti-inflammatory properties, the benefits linked to the regular consumption of pomegranate juice are unlimited. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice can help in tackling various problems related to your health. From good cardiovascular health to the enhancement of your cognitive skills, the list of the benefits of pomegranate juice is long and effective.
Table of Contents
Some of the most popular health benefits of pomegranate juice are listed below:
1. Pomegranate Juice Is Rich In Vitamin C
Pomegranate, like several other fruits, is a rich source of vitamin C, which is an essential antioxidant. And most of its other benefits such as its ability to maintain blood pressure and work as a free-radical scavenger are the result of it being loaded with vitamin C.
Moreover, regular consumption of this vitamin C filled juice helps in increasing the rate of iron absorption in one’s body. Iron is an important mineral that plays a vital role in the transfer of oxygen throughout the body. Thus, vitamin C -rich pomegranate juice can actually help in an efficient transfer of oxygen to different body parts.
Also Read: Benefits Of A Vitamin E Rich Diet| Vitamin E Rich Foods And Their Side-Effects
2. Pomegranate Juice Is A Powerful Antioxidant
As mentioned previously, pomegranate juice is a great source of antioxidants such as vitamin C. Due to the presence of this antioxidant, pomegranate juice acts as a free-radical (free oxygen atom) scavenger. The free-radicals, or free oxygen atoms, which are present in the bloodstream, tend to come in contact with the healthy cells and exert oxidative stress over the cell walls, which leads to them being damaged. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice, which is rich in antioxidants, helps in lowering the concentration of these free-radicals as the antioxidants easily combine with them. Thus, it reduces the risk of free-radical damage and delays the onset of age-related defects (as free-radical damage is responsible for causing most of them).
3. Pomegranate Juice Improves Digestion
Rich in fiber (20% of DV), the consumption of pomegranate juice can help in increasing the effectiveness of the digestive system. Fiber is that part of the food which is not completely digested by the body. The undigested parts pass on to the colon and absorb water to become jelly-like. This creates ‘bulk’ to the body waste, helping it along to get pushed out of the system easily. Soluble dietary fiber, which is the type that’s present in pomegranate, also does the work of adding bulk of the stool and getting rid of the undigested waste easily. Hence, pomegranate juice can also be used as a natural remedy for constipation.
Also Read: Super Foods To Reduce Belly Fat | Best Diet To Shed Tummy Flab
4. Pomegranate Juice Is Anti-Inflammatory In Nature
Pomegranate juice is often considered for its anti-inflammatory properties to help alleviate pain and inflammation related to arthritis. Adequate consumption of pomegranate juice, thanks to its abundant antioxidant content, can be easily used for the prevention of free-radical induced inflammation in various parts of the body such as muscles and joints.
5. Maintains Blood Pressure
Containing a large amount of potassium, pomegranate juice might just be the beverage that you need to get your blood pressure under control (if need be). Almost everything that we eat has salt, and if there is one side-effect of consuming too much of it, it is the salt’s ability to contract your blood vessels, which results in increased blood pressure.
6. Improves Performance At The Gym
The smooth circulation of blood and the increase in the level of oxygen in the blood as a result of regular consumption of pomegranate juice, (both of which are explained in the previous points), give you the added energy required to make your workouts count in the gym. The increase in the level of oxygen, which is the result of high iron absorption, can help in raising the agility and activity levels of the body, thus aiding in better performance and durability during exercising.
7. Pomegranate Juice Helps Improve Heart Health
Consumption of pomegranate juice is known to inhibit the coagulation of cholesterol in the arteries. Thanks to its dilating effect on the blood vessels, pomegranate juice makes sure that the circulation of the blood is smooth throughout the body, and results in good cardiovascular health i.e. by keeping the cholesterol levels under control it reduces the risk of heart diseases.
8. Promotes Cognitive Abilities
After reading all the previous points, this benefit of pomegranate juice might seem obvious. This healthy beverage increases iron absorption in the blood, which in turn is used for the production of hemoglobin (a cell in the blood that is used to transfer oxygen). By increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood, the amount of oxygen also rises, which means that more oxygen is transported to your organs as well as your brain, thus greatly improving the brain’s ability to memorize and learn.
9. Strengthens Immunity
Pomegranate juice’s disease-fighting power is often neglected, but as a fruit that has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, pomegranate deserves its place and recognition among the list of fruits that help in the strengthening of the immune system. The anti-oxidant property of pomegranate juice helps in providing protection to the immune cells from the free-radicals. Additionally, its anti-microbial property helps in fighting off the foreign toxic materials in the bloodstream, thus increasing the efficiency of the whole immune system.
10. Improves Oral Health
The addition of pomegranate juice to one’s daily diet is known to help in the reduction of plaque formation as it is shown to exhibit anti-plaque properties and is very much preferred over other alcoholic mouthwashes. This is because of the hydro-alcoholic extracts of pomegranate help in the reduction of plaque formation.
Side-Effects Of Pomegranate Juice
This healthy, ruby colored beverage, even with its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant property cannot be abused and/or heavily consumed. The side-effects associated with an unregulated consumption of pomegranate juice are quite known. In fact, the side effects of pomegranate juice even tend to adversely affect the benefits done by it in the first place.
High on sugar, a single glass of pomegranate has about 144 calories, which makes it a tough choice for people who are on a weight-loss diet. Moreover, the heavy consumption of this beverage can lead to a significant increase in the blood sugar level and might not be good for people suffering from diabetes or people who are pre-diabetic.
If you are on medications regarding your cholesterol control, then you must consult a doctor before adding pomegranate juice to your daily diet, as pomegranate juice tends to react with such medications and can further increase complexities.
Conclusion
Adding pomegranate juice into your regular diet can help in reducing your body’s bad cholesterol level, and it can even help in fighting off diseases and preventing any attack from external pathogens such as bacteria, thus increasing the efficiency of your immune system. On that final note, we’ll end it by saying that choosing pomegranate juice can never turn out to be a wrong choice.
FAQs
Is Pomegranate considered as a ‘superfood’?
Since the benefits of pomegranate are extensive, right from the fact that one pomegranate contains about 40 percent of recommended daily vitamin C intake, and this vitamin aids the immune system and its ability to fight off potential attackers. To the fruit aiding in improved blood vessel function in the heart to help prevent heart disease. It also seems to cleanse the circulatory system with benefits like lowering blood pressure and increasing oxygen flow to the heart.
These are some major benefits that put it in the ‘superfood’ category.What does “not from concentrate” mean on juice bottles?
This means that after the juice has been extracted from the pomegranate fruit, it receives a heat treatment that evaporates nearly all of the natural water in the fruit. The remaining content or ‘concentrate’ is then mixed with water to turn back into juice. The result is a lower quality, processed juice with drastically reduced health benefits and an altered flavour.
How should I decide which pomegranate juice to drink?
When buying pomegranate juice check the label to be sure that you’re drinking pure pomegranate juice, and not a mixture of juices that contain added sugar. The sugar adds more calories to the juice, which reduces its benefits. Also, make sure the juice is not made from concentrate and does not include any other additives or preservatives.
How do you choose a pomegranate at the grocery store?
Pomegranates should have thin, tough, unbroken skin that ranges in color from pink to deep red. When you’re choosing a pomegranate, focus on the weight rather than the color — the heavier the pomegranate, the more juice it contains.
Why is it not advisable to have pomegranate at night?
Although pomegranates are full of goodness, it is best to avoid snacking on them after sundown, and definitely not at night. This is simply because our body is less prone to processing the fruit after sundown because of the metabolism slowing down considerably towards the end of the day, and hence foods that are rich in fiber, like pomegranates, will be more difficult to digest. Besides, the sugar content will give you too much energy and keep you from falling asleep. It is also possible that the sugar, on not being processed well, will simply be turned to fat by the body.
How much Pomegranate juice can I have everyday?
The total amount of fruit you should have per day is two cups. However, when you drink pomegranate juice, you’re losing out on quite a few nutrients, like fibre. If you want all of your daily fruit intake to come from pomegranate, at least one cup should come from the whole seeds rather than just the juice. If you want to drink more pomegranate, you can always toss the seeds into a blender and create a smoothie. Blending your pomegranates with other fruits or berries will further increase your antioxidant consumption and nutritional benefits.
