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As well as a rich history, pomegranates have some serious health benefits. Here are four of the top health benefits of pomegranates that you need to know about.
The Best Way to Seed a Whole Pomegranate
Pomegranate Nutrition Facts
Pomegranate juice and pomegranate arils (aka the juicy seeds) both deliver some impressive nutrition benefits. Here’s the nutrition breakdown for a serving of each.
Pomegranate Juice Nutrition
According to theUSDA, 1 cup of pomegranate juice contains:
Pomegranate Seed Nutrition
According to theUSDA, 3/4 cup of pomegranate arils contains:
Health Benefits of Pomegranates
Here are just some of the benefits you’ll get when you regularly include pomegranates in your diet.
Digestive Health
One of the most immediatebenefits of getting adequate fiberis better digestive health. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s resource,MedlinePlus, getting enough fiber helps improve digestion and prevent constipation—two benefits you might notice right away. One thing to note is that you’ll only get fiber from eating pomegranate seeds, not from drinking pomegranate juice.
Heart Health
Getting enough fiber—including the fiber found in pomegranate seeds—is also linked to improved heart health. According to a 2021 review inCurrent Cardiology Reports, people with the highest intakes of fiber had a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers propose this reduction is due to fiber’s ability to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and decrease inflammation. Pathak also notes that pomegranates are high in potassium, which theAmerican Heart Associationsays is an important nutrient when it comes to preventing high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.
8 Foods with More Potassium than a Banana
Diabetes Management
Pomegranate juice might be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes, says Pathak. For example, a 2019 study published inClinical Nutrition ESPENfound that participants with Type 2 diabetes who drank about 7 ounces of pomegranate juice a day had lower blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) after six weeks. And a 2019 review inMolecular Nutrition & Food Researchsuggests pomegranate juice helps regulate lipid metabolism (how your body breaks down and uses fat) in people with Type 2 diabetes. All of this couldlower the risk of heart diseasein patients with Type 2 diabetes, who are at a higher risk.
According to a 2022 review inAntioxidants, there is also a lot of evidence showing that certain compounds in pomegranates may be associated withbetter blood sugarnumbers and may be protective against oxidative stress and cell damage that can worsen health outcomes for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Antioxidant Properties
“Low-grade chronic inflammation is known to be a root cause of many chronic conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes,” explains Pflugradt. Experts believe that the antioxidants found in pomegranates might help counteract that inflammation and thus reduce the risk of these and other health conditions, according to a 2021 review in theInternational Journal of Functional Nutrition.
How to Eat a Pomegranate
Pflugradt, on the other hand, likes sprinkling pomegranate seeds onto savory hummus ordrinking pomegranate juicepost-workout.
The Bottom Line
As with all foods, pomegranates don’t have magical health properties, and they won’t make or break a healthy diet. That said, they’redelicious and versatile, and there’s strong evidence that the fiber in pomegranate seeds can promote digestive health and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. There’s also evidence that certain compounds found in pomegranates (and in higher concentrations in pomegranate juice) might help reduce inflammation, promote better blood sugar control and reduce your risk of several chronic health conditions. That’s a lot of benefits in those tiny seeds!
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