by Carol Pyles

Created on: July 15, 2008   Last Updated: February 13, 2009

The pomegranate which you find in the store is actually the berry of the Pomegranate Tree, the juice is contained around the many arils (seeds) inside this large red berry about the size of an orange. It originated from Asia many centuries ago, but over time have made their way to being grown in California.

In recent years studies have been showing that the natural antioxidants found in pomegranates can help with many ailments especially in the heart. It can help lower your blood pressure, it can help you raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol and it may even prevent plaque buildup in your arteries and helps reduce buildup that may already may be present.

It has been shown that it helps with patients with Ischemic Heart Disease; it was found that in patients drinking pomegranate juice, oxygen deficiency to the heart during exercise was significantly reduced.

It has also been shown to help cancer patients, such as men being treated for Prostate cancer. It has shown that men that drank 8 oz. of pomegranate juice a day extended the average doubling time of Prostate specific antigen from 15 months to 54 months.

In studies done in Israel it has also shown to destroy breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. It may also even prevent breast cancer and lung cancer from forming all together.

With everything else this wonderful fruit has shown in studies, it can even prevent plaque build up on your teeth. Which we have all learned leads to gum disease which can lead to heart disease so yet another benefit.

A new study is even suggesting that pomegranate juice may act as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis patients, they must look into this more to see how well the body absorbs the extract, but this could help with avoiding the side effects that are common with anti-inflammatory medicines that are prescribed for these patients.

In (1) 8.45 fl oz glass of pomegranate juice there is approximately 50% of the RDA of Vitamins, A, C & E.

Pomegranate juice also provides 100% RDA of folic acid which helps protect the neonatal brain during pregnancy and a substantial amount of potassium and niacin.

Pomegranate arils juice is the secret inside this fruit. This juice provides an adult with 16% of their Daily requirement of Vitamin C per 100 ml serving. It is also a good source of vitamin B5 , potassium and antioxidant polyphenols.

The polyphenols you find the most of in the pomegranate juice are the hydrolysable tannins called punicalagins which are what has the properties of getting rid of free radicals in your system. They are absorbed into the body and may even have a dietary value as antioxidants.

This is not to say that Pomegrante Juice is a cure all, but it should tell you that it would certainly be a great addition to a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. It does give you a good percentage of your Recommended Daily Allowance of many vitamins which is why it helps with so many health problems.

This is also not to be used in lew of speaking with your Doctor, it is also suggested to speak with your Doctor before adding Pomegranate Juice to your daily diet if you are already on different medications or vitamins as it may interfere with your treatment you are already following.

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