Daily Consumption Of Pomegranates: Benefits And Tips

Pomegranates were originally found throughout the Mediterranean, but can now be found in grocery stores and fruit stalls around the world.

The name of the fruit is derived from the two Latin words for ‘apple’ and ‘seeded’, which are pōmum and grānātum, respectively.

This is likely because pomegranates share the spherical shape of an apple, but instead of the light hard flesh that exists under an apple skin, a pomegranate is packed with hundreds of sparkling crimson seeds.

These seeds are sweet and juicy, and so delicate that cracking open a pomegranate is much like breaking open a rock filled with precious rubies!

The red colors of pomegranates and their seeds are so intense that it is possible that they are responsible for the evolution of the word ‘garnet’, which describes either a deep red color or a deep red precious crystal. 

Not only are these fruits delectable to look at, but they are also delicious and have so many great nutrients inside them. In fact, pomegranates are one of the healthiest fruits in the world.

Take a look below to find out more about all the amazing benefits that pomegranates can provide us with, and find out why this ruby red fruit is so special. 

It Is Full Of Nutrients

One 3oz portion of this fruit’s seeds can count as one of your five-a-day, thanks to its many nutrients. In one portion of pomegranate, you will find Vitamin C, Potassium, and Fibre, as well as a little bit of protein (among other things!).

Each of these nutrients has great health benefits. Vitamin C plays an essential role in building and maintaining many parts of the body, including your blood vessels and muscles.

However, our bodies do not naturally produce vitamin C, so it is essential that we get it from our diet. That is why it is a great plus that pomegranate contains vitamin C!

Potassium is a very important element in our body’s energy production, and ingesting it will aid both your mental and physical performance.

As for fiber, we really need plenty of it in order to keep our digestive systems working properly. Having some protein in pomegranates makes them even healthier for us,

because proteins are found throughout our bodies, and help to build and maintain our muscles, bones, hair, and more.

The above assets of these listed nutrients are only some of their benefits, so it really does make pomegranates good for your whole body’s health. 

It Contains Beneficial Plant Compounds

Pomegranate seeds are not only full of vitamins and nutrients that are commonly found in other foods, but they also contain two amazing plant compounds.

The first plant compound that heightens pomegranate’s effectiveness is Punicic Acid. Inside and around each pomegranate seed is a small amount of this fatty acid, which is part of the Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) family.

CLAs are most commonly found in dairy and meat products, and are known for reducing risks of disease in those who consume a lot of them.

Your risk of developing heart disease, for example, is significantly lowered if you consume a lot of Punicic Acid. The acid helps to slow the development of heart disease and fight against its triggers.

This means that eating pomegranates daily could up your CLA intake and make you less likely to develop certain serious illnesses.

The second beneficial plant compound present in pomegranate is Punicaligins, which is found in the juicy seeds and the peel of the fruit. Punicalagins are a type of antioxidant that can aid the body in fighting against harmful substances in the body.

Both of these plant compounds combine to make pomegranate one of the best fruits to eat regularly.

 daily consumption of pomegranates: benefits and tips

It Can Help To Combat Cancer

For such a little fruit, the pomegranate packs in a lot of power. Although nothing can yet cure cancer, eating pomegranate or drinking pomegranate juice has been proven to limit or slow the chances of cancer developing.

Prostate cancer, for example, which is a very common cancer in men, is more likely to develop in men who have higher levels of the Prostate-Specific Antigen, or PSA.

For some reason, it has been found in a few studies that drinking pomegranate juice every day can slow the rate of PSA development, and thus slow the risk of cancer developing.

It has also been suggested that eating pomegranates or drinking their juice can reduce the speed of development of breast cancer cells.

Although there has not been much research into this claim, the evidence that does exist so far is very positive. 

It Has Beneficial Anti-Inflammatory Properties

The two plant compounds in pomegranate that we have explored both have anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this, pomegranate can reduce inflammation.

Firstly, consuming pomegranate can reduce joint inflammation, and aid the fight against arthritis.

As well as the plant compounds, there are also other elements within pomegranate that are able to prevent joint damage, by protecting the body from harmful enzymes.

Consuming a form of pomegranate daily could help your body to maintain healthy and functioning joints, and could help to reduce any other kind of inflammation that you might be experiencing.

Secondly, pomegranate has the capacity to reduce chronic inflammation. So many of the world’s most harmful diseases are catalyzed by chronic inflammation, including Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

One great advantage of ingesting pomegranate is that its anti-inflammatory effects can help to reduce or even prevent chronic inflammation, which in turn reduces your risk of developing such horrible diseases. 

It Can Lower Blood Pressure

From a few studies on people with high blood pressure, scientists have found that drinking pomegranate juicy on a daily basis can reduce blood pressure in a space of just a few weeks.

High blood pressure is one of the biggest causes of strokes and heart attacks, so the fact that pomegranate can reduce it is very impressive.

Drinking pomegranate juice daily can both reduce your blood pressure and reduce your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. 

It Can Improve Memory And Cognitive Function 

Although there is not a lot of scientific evidence to back this theory up, the research that has been completed thus far looks promising. One investigation focused on subjects who had mild memory issues due to old age.

The subjects were observed for four weeks, during which time they drank a glass of pomegranate juice daily.

When the four weeks had elapsed, it was evident that the subjects were much more competent in memory based activities and cognitive tasks.

So, although the topic needs more research, it is very possible that drinking pomegranate juice every day could really improve your memory and brain function. 

Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Pomegranate

One of the reasons that pomegranates are not consumed in every household is likely because they are quite fiddly to eat.

The hundreds of nutritious seeds lie firmly within the very coarse skin of the pomegranate, and getting them out can be a bit of a challenge. Because of the many health benefits of the fruit, we think it is worth the effort. 

Here Are Two Ways To Easily Open Up A Pomegranate And Extract The Precious Seeds

Using A Knife

The best way to get the pomegranate seeds out is to start by removing the flower of the fruit, which looks like a stem on the outside of it.

Next, try to find the natural creases on the skin of the fruit that form subtle ridges.

Slice gently into each ridge before pulling the sections of the fruit apart – hold the fruit above a bowl while doing so in order to catch any stray seeds that might fall out.

Once the segments are separated, carefully remove the white flesh that surrounds the seeds and then pull back on the fruit’s skin and push the seeds out into your bowl.

If some seeds are more stubborn, use your knife to tease them out. 

Using A Wooden Spoon

This method begins with you slicing the pomegranate in half. Take one half at a time and hold it over a bowl.

Use the wooden spoon to hit against the pomegranate skin from above, and watch the seeds fall into the bowl.With this method, lots of the white flesh falls out alongside the seeds, and will need to be separated afterward. 

Tips For Incorporating Pomegranate Into Your Diet

Pomegranates Can Be Enjoyed By Themselves, Or Added To A Variety Of Dishes. Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Uses For Pomegranate:

  • Eat the seeds straight from the fruit 
  • Add the seeds to a salad, to add a sharp juiciness to either a leaf salad or a fruit salad
  • Add the seeds to your blender when whipping up a smoothie
  • Sprinkle the seeds over your cereal or yogurt 
  • Use them as a fancy garnish on savory foods like smashed avocado or grilled chicken
  • Buy cartons of pomegranate juice and drink it with your breakfast each day

Final Thoughts

The health benefits of regularly consuming pomegranate are second to no other fruit. The natural antioxidants and properties of pomegranate contribute towards both your mental and physical health.

Drinking pomegranate juice is such an easy thing to do, but it can prevent you from developing some really serious health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

Pomegranates are so delicious and juicy that we cannot see any cons to incorporating them into your daily routine.

You get to enjoy the sweet and tangy flavors of the fruit while in the knowledge that it will be doing you so much good. We don’t know about you, but we are definitely adding pomegranate to our shopping list!

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