The Many Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranates pack a lot of nutrition and have delicious fruit waiting inside; if you can cut into it. It's always seemed like an unwelcoming fruit, with a tough skin and the seeds can really make a mess!

We had a pomegranate tree at our desert cabin in Southern California when I was growing up, and we tried it but the taste was bitter and not very enjoyable. Perhaps if someone had shown us just how good for us this unusual fruit really was and had given us a tip on how to juice it, we would have used more of the fruit off of our tree.

Lately my husband and I have been buying juice in the store and have been loving the taste and all the health benefits it has to offer.

Gloria Tsang, RD on healthcastle.com says that "Israeli researchers published a small clinical study in 2004 in Clinical Nutrition, suggested that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day for one year reduced blood pressure (particularly systolic pressure) and slowed down LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) oxidation."

So pomegranate juice is good for your heart, which is always a plus when heart disease is such a major factor in death in the United States.

I love the fact that pomegranate juice is so high in antioxidants. Tsang says that it "contains polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins--all beneficial antioxidants." She goes on to say that pomegranate juice is has "high levels of antioxidants--higher than most other fruit juices, red wine, or green tea."

juicingforhealth.com also adds that pomegranates and their juice are high in "Vitamin B, C, calcium, and phosphorous. " They add that the "combination of these and other minerals cause a powerful synergy that prevents and reverses many diseases."

And if that's not enough, juicingforhealth.com lists a few ailments that you can solve by using the pomegranate.

Anemia
Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a little honey to a cup of pomegranate juice. Especially helpful to women after blood loss due to the menstrual period.

Anal itch (bear with me on this one!)
When there's itching in the anal region, it is usually caused by worms in our intestines that go to that area to lay their eggs. Roast some pomegranate skin until it is brown and brittle. Then crush to a fine powder and add a little olive oil. Apply to anus to kill the worms.

Asthma
The high content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the pomegranate is a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Bleeding Piles
Pound the clean skin of one fruit from the sour variety. Boil it in about two cups of water. Sweeten with honey and drink twice a day until problem goes away.

Dysentery
Drinking fresh pomegranate juice is an excellent remedy to the pain and inflammation caused by diarrhea with blood and mucous in the stool.

Loss of appetite
Drinking pomegranate juice helps increase your appetite.

Morning sickness
Mix equal amounts of pomegranate juice and honey to find relief.

Sore Throat
The anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate juice help reduce the redness and soreness.

How to Buy, Store, and Use Pomegranates

Now that you know how beneficial these guys are, I bet you're ready to start stocking up!

I recently found a great book, Pomegranates, by Ann Kleinberg. It talks about how to buy, store, and use pomegranates (also has many wonderful recipes).

First, when you're at the store buying pomegranates, you'll find them available in the fall through December.

"Picking a pomegranate is easy," Kleinberg says, "because there is very little that can go wrong with it. The rind is tough, which protects the fruit from harm.."

She suggests looking for ones that "are heavy, without any blemishes, cracks, or soft spots. They should be firm to the touch and mostly red in color."

"Store them in the refrigerator, sealed in a plastic bag if not using right away (this helps retain their moisture)," she says.
Steps to Juicing a Pomegranate

1. Roll the pomegranate around on the counter to help get the juice out.
2. Cut off the crown end.
3.Cut it in half and place one half in a hand-operated citruc juicer. She says "do not try this with an electric juicer--it may squirt the juice all over the place."
4. Bring handle down to squeeze the juice out.
5. Repeat with remaining half. If the fruit is large, quarter it and juice each section.

So now you've got fruit and juice with loads of healthy benefits. Bon appetit!

Gloria Tsang, Pomegranate-the rising star, healthcastle.com

juicingforhealth.com, Pomegranate

Ann Kleinberg (2004) Pomegranate, Penn Publishing, p12