Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants and other essential nutrients.
While the juice can be a refreshing choice, there are some drawbacks. For example, the drink may interact with certain medications, so some people are advised to sip on an alternative beverage.
Here, we’ll look at the health benefits of pomegranate juice, how much sugar is in pomegranate juice, whether pomegranate juice benefits weight loss and some additional information about the tart and tasty drink.
The Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice
From reducing inflammation to lowering cholesterol levels, pomegranate juice has been linked to a number of health benefits.
1. Pomegranate Juice Is Packed With Antioxidants
Pomegranate juice is rich in punicalagins, which are extremely powerful antioxidants. Pomegranate juice’s antioxidant levels are potent: The juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea, per early October 2000 research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Pomegranate juice is also rich in compounds called polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, per a March 2014 report in Advanced Biomedical Research. More research needs to be done, but preliminary findings suggest it may help fight prostate, breast, lung, colon and skin cancers.
People with diabetes who drank 1.1 cups (250 ml) of pomegranate juice daily lowered two inflammatory markers — CRP and interleukin-6 — by 32 and 30 percent, respectively, according to one March 2014 study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. Chronic inflammation has been linked to a host of health conditions, so nutrients with anti-inflammatory functions may be helpful in staving off such conditions.
2. Pomegranate Juice May Improve Heart Health
Pomegranate juice may have positive effects on cardiovascular disease, per an April 2013 study in Rambam Maimodies Medical Journal. It concluded that the juice markedly decreases the risk. The juice protects cholesterol from oxidation, which reduces the development of atherosclerotic plaque, and the likelihood of its consequences such as heart attacks and stroke.
Research suggests that pomegranate juice may help reduce high blood pressure, which is one of the major risk factors for heart disease, per a January 2017 review in Pharmacological Research.
Pomegranate juice and cholesterol also appear to share a positive relationship: A handful of small studies suggest that drinking the juice may help lower levels of bad cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic, though more research is needed.
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