The fruit of the pomegranate (Punica granatum) is hard and round. Cutting it in two will reveal it is tightly packed with clear red juicy seed capsules. Since ancient times, the juice has been taken as a tonic. The pomegranate was one of the first fruits to be cultivated for medicinal purposes.
The pomegranate is believed to provide more antioxidants than any other fruit. The whole fruit has more antioxidants than a cup of green tea or a glass of red wine.
The high amount of antioxidants in pomegranate juice effectively mops up free radicals and helps to lower the level of cholesterol.
Recent tests carried out on patients diagnosed as having hardened arteries, a condition which can often lead to a heart attack or a stroke, show that patients given pomegranate juice to drink every day, for three months, experienced a significant increase in the flow of blood to the heart.
An article published in the American Journal of Cardiology reported a 17% increase in the blood flow of patients who drank pomegranate juice. Other patients who were given a similar tasting drink as a placebo, over the same period of time, had 18% less blood flow than when they started, the free radicals had continued to cause thickening of their arteries.
The recommended requirements for good cardiovascular health is 20ml (one and a half tablespoons) of concentrated pomegranate juice daily. If it is mixed with water or fruit juice it will have the same affect.
Recent research undertaken at the University of California has also revealed that pomegranate juice will benefit men with prostate cancer, by significantly increasing the stability period of this form of cancer. A daily glass of pomegranate juice could eliminate the need for any medical treatment, in men over the age of 65 who have prostate cancer.
There are one hundred calories in an average sized pomegranate fruit and it is naturally rich in vitamin C and vitamin E.
For maintaining good health, and as part of a balanced healthy diet, a daily glass of pomegranate juice can help by lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of blood clots, helping to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis and slowing down the degeneration process in old age.
The juice of the pomegranate is truly a wonderful and delicious natural preventative medicine, and for patients with heart problems or prostate cancer it is the best natural remedy they can take.
e for some heart and cancer patients.