Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

I really hadn’t thought much about the health benefits of pomegranate juice until just lately.  I mean, I love the flavor, the color is incredible, but health benefits?

I don’t know.  While I spend a lot of time researching herbal remedies and natural remedies I tend to forget about healthy foods.

Anyway, a representative from POM contacted me about reviewing their pomegranate juice on Baking Delights and I began to wonder about the so called health benefits.

So, first of all, there is some pretty impressive research that indicates that pomegranate juice is effective against several types of cancer cells, whether it helps protect against cancer, or keep it from spreading. Some of the cancers cited were:

• Breast
• Prostate
• Lung

It is said to protect the heart, help keep cholesterol down and arteries unclogged and even help to protect the developing  brains of unborn babies.

It has the highest amount of of polyphenol antioxidants known.

Health benefits of pomegranate juice?  Listen to this: “A single pomegranate,” she reports “provides 40 per cent of an adult’s recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and is a rich source of folic acid and vitamins A and E. One pomegranate also contains three times the antioxidant properties of red wine or green tea.” Senior Journal

O.k…so it will handle everything from Alzheimer’s to osteoarthritis.   How does it taste?

Pomegranate juice is similar, but not totally like, a sweet cranberry juice.  Eight ounces a day is supposed to be what you need for optimum health benefits.  Pomegranate juice has a nice acidity like cranberries but also a faint citrus flavor.

I am going to be reviewing the POM and posting recipes on Baking Delights this week, so check it out.  In the meantime, it isn’t just hype.  There are documented health benefits and it tastes pretty good…you can’t lose.

Image:POMWonderful