What Therapeutic Benefits Can a Pomegranate Offer?

What exactly is a pomegranate? It is a softball-sized, reddish, thick-skinned, many-seeded (very small seeds each individually covered with pomegranate flesh) fruit whose history traces all the way back to ancient times where it was grown mostly in the Mediterranean area. In our modern world, the pomegranate is a large cash crop grown in the United States, primarily California and Arizona. And throughout history, while the pomegranate was believed to have health benefits and even magical properties, it's been due to medical studies done in the last ten years or so that have proven that pomegranates are indeed a fruit with multiple health benefits.

So what are some of the health benefits that pomegranates offer?

The therapeutic benefits of pomegranates that we know about so far are to help lower blood pressure; help lower your cholesterol by lowering your LDL levels (this is the bad cholesterol) and raising your good cholesterol levels; help to neutralize free radicals that cause cells to mutate into cancer; help lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease; help by offering protection against atherosclerosis; help keep your skin looking young; help in stopping tooth decay and help to slow the deterioration of cartilage to fight arthritis joint pain.

How can any fruit, let alone a pomegranate, offer any health benefits at all, let alone all that?

Pomegranates are high in their levels of antioxidant polyphenols and their antioxidant effect is believed to be three times higher than that of either red wine or green tea. They are thought to be the only fruit that contains three major antioxidants - tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. Pomegranates also offer fiber, potassium, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and niacin. That one small fruit contains all this and they only have about 100 hundred calories. Pomegranates really pack a huge health "punch" for such a small unassuming fruit.

What are some of the different ways pomegranates may be used for healing and/or nutrition?

There are certainly many different ways to get the full health benefits of pomegranates. One of the simplest ways is by eating the pomegranate fresh off the tree. Peel away the tough outer peeling and eat the individual seeds. Pomegranates that are left to ripen on the tree the longest are generally the sweetest tasting. Less ripe pomegranates are somewhat tart and sour which some people prefer.

Another way to have your pomegranate is to drink it in juice form. It even comes in different flavors so there may be a flavor out there just for you. There is also Pomegranate tea, also in different flavors. There are pomegranate pills or liquids available or for skin care, you can use pomegranate seed oil topically.

Another great way to use pomegranates is to cook with them. There are many pomegranate recipes available online. One place to find pomegranate recipes is at the POM Wonderful website.

Most researchers suggest drinking the equivalent of at least one eight ounce cup of pomegranate juice each day for maximum health benefits. And if you don't quite believe all the claims about the therapeutic benefits of pomegranates, don't worry; it's a healthy fruit that will fit well into any healthy food plan.

What are the situations (or health concerns) that would make you consider using pomegranates for their therapeutic benefits?

Some of the diseases or health problems that pomegranates are said to be the most effective in helping are; cancer, diabetes (because of its accompanying complications), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, dental hygiene or really any disease where the immune system needs a boost.

Pomegranates do sound almost too good to be true but legitimate medical studies have been done and are still being done to prove that pomegranates really do offer huge health benefits. So if you do decide that pomegranates are right for you and preferably before you do add them to your diet, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor first before making any changes in your lifestyle that may have an effect on your health.

Resources:
Adventist News Network. World Church: Pomegrante Juice May Thwart Onset of Alzheimer's, Says Researcher. by Elizabeth Lechleitner.
American Chronicle. The Health Benefits of the Humble Pomegranate by Ruth Polak.
HealthCentral.com.
HerbaSway Laboratories.
LifeExtension. Novel Ways to Achieve Optimal Oral Health by Debora Yost.
LifeScript. The Many Health Benefits of Pomegranates by Jill Weisenberger, MS, RD, CDE.
Natural Health Courses. Health Benefits of the Pomegranate by Jeannie Graham.
OrganicPassion. Pomegranate: Health Benefits Have Never Tasted So Good! by Lina Baker and Randa Khalil.
POM Wonderful. http://www.pomwonderful.com/
Send2Press.com. New Research Shows Pomegranate Seed Oil's Benefits as a Skin Treatment. Edited by Carly Zander.
SeniorJournal.com. Pomegranate Hottest Health Remedy: Fad or Fact? by Tucker Sutherland.
Wikipedia. Pomegranate.