Introduction
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between 5 and 10 meter (16 and 33 ft) tall.Pomegranate grows easily from seed, but is commonly propagated from 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 inch) hardwood cuttings to avoid the genetic variation of seedlings.
Pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is native to Western and Central Asia, from Iran to northern India.
Pomegranates are widely cultivated throughout the Middle East and Caucasus region, north and tropical Africa, Iran, Armenia, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, the drier parts of Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean Basin.
It also has a lengthy history of cultivation all throughout the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and Mediterranean regions of Africa, Asia, and Europe.It was brought to North America in the 1700s, and it is now widely cultivated in California.
Pomegranate can be enjoyed in many ways, with the most common being hand-held eating. The pomegranate is cut open and pulled apart to reveal the seeds and juice sacs. Alternately, you can remove the seeds and press them to release the juice. Pomegranate juice is especially common in Iran, but other countries enjoy it as well.
People throughout history have eaten this fruit for its unique taste and its assumed health benefits. Today, research is supporting some of the claims for health benefits of pomegranates and pomegranate juice.
In mature fruits, the juice obtained by compressing the seeds yields a sour flavor due to low pH (4.4) and high contents of polyphenols, which may cause a red indelible stain on fabrics. Primarily, the pigmentation of pomegranate juice results from the presence of anthocyanins and ellagitannins.
The edible portion of raw pomegranate is 78% water, 19% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat . A 100 g serving of pomegranate sarcotesta provides 12% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C, 16% DV for vitamin K, and 10% DV for folate . Pomegranate seeds are a rich source of dietary fiber (20% DV) which is entirely contained in the edible seeds.
DV means daily value.
Benefits of Pomegranate juice:
(1) Rich in Antioxidants:
The antioxidants in pomegranate juice can help remove reactive oxygen species and protect the body from damage.Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds that offer protection from this damage.As a source of polyphenols, pomegranate could be suitable for treating various inflammatory conditions such as:IBD,Rheumatoid arthritis (RA),Metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Pomegranates are rich in an array of antioxidant compounds that help protect your cells from free radical damage. The main bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity that are found in pomegranates are called punicalagins, anthocyanins, and hydrolysable tannins.
(2) Packed with nutrients: Pomegranate contains many nutrients and is a good source of:
vitamin E, which is an antioxidant
vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting
Magnesium, which helps manage blood pressure and glucose level .
The small pink seeds inside a pomegranate, called the arils, are the edible portion of the fruit. While they can be labor-intensive to remove from the fruit’s inner flesh, their nutritional profile and flavor are well worth the investment.
Overall, pomegranates are low in calories and fat but high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain protein.
Below is the nutrition profile for small pink seeds, the arils in one average (282-gram) pomegranate fruit .
Calories: 234
Protein: 4.7 grams
Fat: 3.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 52 grams
Sugar: 38.6 grams
Fiber: 11.3 grams
Calcium: 28.2 mg, or 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
Iron: 0.85 mg, or 5% of the DV
Magnesium: 33.8 mg, or 8% of the DV
Phosphorus: 102 mg, or 8% of the DV
Potassium: 666 mg, or 13% of the DV
Vitamin C: 28.8 mg, or 32% of the DV
Folate (vitamin B 9): 107 mcg, or 27% of the DV
Comparatively, a 1/2-cup (87-gram) serving of seeds provides 72 calories, 16 grams of carbs, 3.5 grams of fiber, 1 gram of fat, and 1.5 grams of protein.
Keep in mind that the nutritional information for pomegranate seeds ( arils) differs from that of pomegranate juice, which won’t provide much fiber.This applies to fruit in general eating the whole form will provide more fiber .
(3) Anticancer properties: Polyphenols in pomegranate may aid in preventing the growth of cancer cells related to prostate cancer.Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a marker of prostate cancer in the blood. If PSA levels double in a short amount of time, it indicates a significantly higher risk of death from prostate cancer.
Ingredients in pomegranate may also help prevent breast, lung, and skin cancer. In fact, the fruit has demonstrated anti-tumor effects in cancers of the lung, breast, prostate, skin, and colon.Pomegranate has been observed to have anticancer effects.It may slow tumor growth and spread and reduce inflammation, although more research is needed to learn more.
(4) Protects against Alzheimer's disease: Ingredients in pomegranate juice may help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques in the hippocampus and protect against Alzheimer's disease.
(5) Aids in Digestive health:
Some evidence indicates that pomegranate juice may benefit people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other bowel conditions due to its polyphenol content.
Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
When inflammation isn’t addressed, it can contribute to many chronic conditions, including heart disease, Type II diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Eating pomegranates may help prevent the chronic inflammation associated with increased chronic disease risk
(6) Promotes healing after surgery:
The anti-inflammatory effects of pomegranate improve the rapid closure of wounds. Another important part of wound healing is the proliferation phase. Fibroblastic cells have a key role in this stage. These cells produce collagen fibers, which are the main extracellular matrix proteins.
Pomegranate juice, plant parts extracts and phytochemicals treatment accelerate wound healing process, increases wound contraction, reduces healing period, manages pain, enhances DNA, protein, hydroxyproline and collagen production, stimulates synthesis of type-1 procollagen and fibroblasts production .
The data also suggest that supplementation with pomegranate polyphenols can protect against surgery-induced retention deficits and may actually improve memory retention even after heart surgery.
(7) Prevents onset of osteoarthritis:
Molecular studies have indicated that ingredients in pomegranate extract could silence some of the genetic signals that contribute to osteoarthritis (OA). This suggests that pomegranate could help prevent the onset of this condition.
(8) Lowers the risk of heart disease:
There is evidence that fruits rich in polyphenolic compounds, such as pomegranate, may benefit heart health.
Pomegranate juice could reduce oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system and lower the risk of:
forming cholesterol
accumulating unhealthy fats, or oxidized lipids, in the blood vessels
developing atherosclerosis.
The antioxidants benefit your cardiovascular system, helping it to keep artery walls from thickening and reducing the buildup of cholesterol and plaque. Pomegranate juice has also been shown to contain significant amounts of anthocyanins and anthoxanthins that support good heart health.Pomegranate offers abundant benefits for the cardiovascular system by preventing damage to arterial walls, promoting healthy blood pressure levels, improving blood flow to the heart, and preventing or reversing atherosclerosis.
(9) Lowers Blood pressure:
Drinking pomegranate juice daily may help lower systolic blood pressure.Compounds in pomegranate may reduce blood pressure and inflammation in the arteries, help fight plaque buildup that can lead to heart attacks and strokes, and reduce heart-related chest pain.
(10) Boosts brain health: Drinking pomegranate juice every day may improve learning and memory. Pomegranates contain compounds called ellagitannins, which act as antioxidants and reduce inflammation in the body. As such, they also offer protective benefits for your brain against conditions that are influenced by inflammation and oxidative stress.
Enjoying pomegranates and pomegranate juice gives your brain a potent antioxidant boost. And thanks to its plentiful amounts of antioxidants, pomegranate is one of the best foods to eat when it comes to boosting your brain health.
Drinking Pomegranate juice daily both improved memory performance and altered brain neural activity, measured using functional MRI, in comparison to a control group drinking taste-matched placebo juice without polyphenols.
(11) Drinking pomegranate juice may increase the quality and motility of sperm. Motility is the movement that sperm needs to reach the egg.Drinking pomegranate juice daily can also increase testosterone levels in both men and women, which translates into an increased sexual desire on both sides.
(12) The compounds present in pomegranate may help improve exercise performance, endurance and help with post-exercise recovery:
Certain types of polyphenol antioxidants, like those found in pomegranate juice, may help increase nitric oxide bioavailability by protecting it from breaking down in the body. Nitric oxide helps your body get the oxygen and nutrients it needs during exercise.The existing evidence suggests that POM supplementation has the potential to confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects during and following exercise, to improve cardiovascular responses during exercise, and to enhance endurance and strength performance and post-exercise recovery.
Pomegranate juice supplementation was indicated to significantly improve workout values compared to the placebo. The weightlifters were able to increase workout duration and the amount of weight being lifted. Results also indicated participants experienced decreased muscle soreness and faster recovery.High content of polyphenols (flavonoids) found in pomegranates promotes nitric oxide synthesis, which has been shown to increase strength and recovery times. In addition, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranates have also shown positive effects on muscle strength and recovery.
(13) Low GI fruit for diabetics:
Pomegranate may benefit people with diabetes and those at risk for the disease.
One pomegranate contains around 39 grams of sugar. If
a person with diabetes wishes to consume pomegranate juice, they should do so while keeping their glucose levels within limits agreed with a doctor.People with diabetes should check with a doctor about the safest way to incorporate pomegranate into the diet.
The good news is that pomegranates are a low-glycemic fruit, which means they won't spike your blood sugars as much as other, higher GI fruits will. Pomegranate has an average glycemic index (GI) value of 35. People with diabetes are recommended to have fruits with a GI of 55 or less. Low glycemic index allows gradual release of sugars, therefore preventing spikes in the sugar levels.
Pomegranate has a low glycemic index and glycemic load, making it a beneficial fruit for people with diabetes. Studies have shown that drinking one glass of pomegranate juice during the day effectively lowers the harmful LDL cholesterol levels in people with diabetes.
Glycemic index of pomegranate (fresh)
The glycemic index (GI) of pomegranate (fresh) equals to 35, which classifies it as a low GI food.
Glycemic load of pomegranate (fresh)
The glycemic load (GL) of pomegranate (fresh) is equal to 6.65, which classifies it as a low GL food.
The Glycemic load (GL) is worked out by the following formula: GL = GI x carbohydrate / 100.
GL of Pomegranate
=35×19/100
=6.65
Pomegranate (fresh) Calories and Nutritional information:
100 grams of pomegranate (fresh) contain 83 kcal,
1.7 grams of proteins,
19.0 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.0 grams of fats.
(14) Hydrates your body:
It is a water-based fruit that also contains electrolytes. Hence pomegranate juice can hydrate your body first thing in the morning. Many of its nutrients get absorbed on an empty stomach. So, ideally, drinking pomegranate juice on an empty stomach is better than any other time of the day.
(15) Protects against liver diseases:
Pomegranate has been well documented in relation to the protective role against liver related diseases such as fatty liver in obesity, fatty liver induced by junk food.Pomegranate is very popular for its biological effects exerted by phenolic compounds via free radical scavenging abilities. It has revealed high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and is beneficial for the amelioration of liver and kidney diseases. The fruit of the pomegranate has a high content of polyphenols and is renowned for its antioxidant capabilities. In particular, it is recognized as reducing oxidative stress and, therefore, playing a productive role in obstructing the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease.
(16) Beneficial in urinary tract infections:
Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants and Vitamin- C, which is beneficial when suffering from UTI. The antioxidant properties prevent bacteria from latching onto the walls of the bladder, while Vitamin- C helps to boost the immune system and fight off urinary tract infections.
(17) Pomegranates juice in pregnancy:
Nutrient-dense pomegranates are also a good source of energy, and their high iron content helps prevent iron-deficiency. Vitamin K is also essential for maintaining healthy bones. Research suggests that drinking pomegranate juice may help to decrease the risk of injury to the placenta.Eating fruit during pregnancy is highly recommended so that pregnant women get proper nutrition. One fruit which is highly recommended for consumption during pregnancy is pomegranate.
Pomegranate juice may hold promise for preventing preeclampsia, growth restriction and preterm birth when given to women during pregnancy, according to a recent Washington University study. The laboratory study found that pomegranate juice limits injury in human placental tissue and in isolated human cell cultures.
(18) Effective remady for diarrhoea:
Pomegranate juice gives a quick result and is considered to be a great remedy to stop the loose motion. Not only the fruit and its juice, but also its leaves are effective in treating loose motion
Can cause digestive problems – Pomegranate can irritate your gastrointestinal tract and block the digestive tract. Too much consumption of Pomegranate may cause nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, constipation, or diarrhea in some cases.
Side effects of Pomegranate juice:
•However, excess consumption of pomegranates may cause some side effects. The fruit may cause allergies, interact with certain drugs, lower blood pressure levels way too much, and cause digestive disorders, chest pain, confusion, and drowsiness. Hence, take pomegranates in moderation to avoid these adverse effects.
•If you have diabetes, ask your doctor before drinking fruit juices, including pomegranate. If you have diarrhea, do not drink pomegranate juice or take pomegranate extract.
•Pregnant women should not take pomegranate extract because it may contain fruit rind. The juice, however, is considered safe.
•According to Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, Chief Medical Officer at the National Kidney Foundation, "pomegranate juice is high in antioxidants and high in potassium, which can be problematic for people with kidney disease.
Enjoy this superb fruit and it's juice.
Information compiled by:
Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
