Pomegranate health benefits

POMEGRANATES (Punica granatumis) are fruits that don’t get a lot of attention in Jamaica, perhaps because to many of us, they never seem to be quite ripe. They also require you to put in quite a lot of effort to get to the rich, juicy pulp that coats their hundreds of little seeds. But according to nutritionist Vanessa White-Barrows, the juice of the pomegranate is worth the work.

“This fruit is beneficial to people who are trying to lose weight as its low sugar and fat content contribute few calories (approximately 83 kcals per fruit),” she said.

“It also provides soluble and insoluble fibre when eaten raw or juiced, which leads to you feeling full more quickly, and discourages the tendency to want to overeat.”

White-Barrow said the pomegranate is rich in folate, which is a vitamin that the body needs to make blood cells and genetic material.

Folate is especially essential in periods where the body goes through rapid growth and development such as pregnancy and puberty.

“It is also rich in vitamin C which is needed for making the protein collagen that strengthens our skin and the walls of our blood vessels; vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that protects against rapid destruction of cell membranes; vitamin K that helps the blood to clot; and potassium, the blood pressure lowering mineral,” she said.

In addition, White-Barrow says the pomegranate is good for your heart.

“The fruit contains antioxidants such as punicalagins and fatty acids such as punicic acid which studies have shown have anti-inflammatory and fat lowering effects on the blood,” she said.

“This helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.”

Regular consumption has also been shown to slow progression of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and osteoarthritis.

And not only is the juice of the pomegranate high in nutritional content, but the seeds are too. When consumed they can supply you with dietary fibre which helps to regulate the movement of food through your digestive system.

The pomegranate is believed to have originated in the Middle East, and was brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Today it can be found in most countries around the world, and is commercially cultivated for use in cosmetic products, dyes, syrups, sauces, as well as Indian, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine.

Historically, the pomegranate has been identified as a symbol of fertility, prosperity and good health by many cultures, perhaps because of the many seeds of which it is comprised. Some historians even believe that the pomegranate was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In Greek mythology, though, it is considered to be the fruit of the dead.