Pomegranates: Good For Your Brain?

Pomegranates - I still don’t think I can pronounce that word correctly. I remember when Bath & Body Works came out with pomegranate-scented stuff. I loved it, but went around pronouncing it like it was some kind of fancy-shmancy word. (For whatever reason, pomegranates were just not part of my life until that point. Probably because pomegranates primarily reign from other parts of the world.)

Then I started hearing other people pronounce the word, and realized, um…I was wrong.

Anyway, here in the Northern Hemisphere, pomegranates are usually in season from September to January, which is only one reason care2.com has labeled them a “Fall Superfood.”

The other?

Apparently, pomegranates are good for your brain - in addition to a whole host of other body parts and health ailments.

According to Top 10 Superfoods for Fall:

Pomegranates have very high antioxidant activity, offering brain and memory protection. And research shows that drinking pomegranate juice may help with lowering the risk for hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis.

Hmm…interesting.

I decided to do a bit more research regarding pomegranates and the brain, and discovered that regnant mothers who drink pomegranate juice may lower their babies’ risks of brain injury and even schizophrenia. And, One Neurobiology of Disease-published study showed mice who drank pomegranate juice were able to navigate mazes 35% faster than mice who didn’t drink the juice, suggesting the benefits of pomegranate regarding memory and learning.

Of course, it’s always best to get your information from a doctor if you’re planning on altering your diet to boost your brain health.

Want to know more about food and your brain? Check out these past Mental Health Notes posts:

• Top Brain Foods For Vegetarians
• Which Foods Are Good (And Bad!) For Your Mental Health?
• Tasty Foods To Boost Your Brain Health

Image: SXC and J.G.