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BMI's Health & Wellness Mastermind Group

Friday, August 08, 2008

What are the benefits of Pomegranate?

Nature Grenade

Pomegranate fruit is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. In this country it is grown for its fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and Arizona.

The pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits as well as richest in history and folklore. Once you get past the multitude of seeds, its juice is tangy, sweet, rich and flavorful. This juice becomes the base for sauces and flavorings for drinks, savory dishes, and sweets, while the whole seeds are a simple delight eaten fresh or used as a colorful accent as a garnish. The fruit is about the size of an orange. The rind color can range from yellow-orange to deep reddish-purple.

Health Benefits

The health benefits of pomegranate juice are becoming more widely known. Because of this, in turn, there is currently a great deal of research being conducted on it.

The current info on pomegranate juice is that it is very beneficial for us becauseof the antioxidants it contains.

As you may know, antioxidants can neutralize free radical damage. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that can damage our body's cellular materials, which, in turn, may be linked to major degenerative illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, or even aging itself.

What else can account for the health benefits of pomegranate juice? Well, it contains a broad range of healthy substances. For example, pomegranates contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins. These compounds are believed to fight disease.

We may soon seen pomegranate supplement extracts manufactured and sold because the extract is being studied for posssible anti-cancer properties.

Extra Information

Every pomegranate is composed of exactly 840 seeds, each surrounded by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a thin skin. The seeds are compacted in a layer resembling honeycomb around the core. The layers of seeds are separated by paper-thin white membranes which are bitter to the tongue. The inner membranes and rind are not generally eaten due to high tannic acid content, but they are useful as a skin wash.


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