You have to love the health benefits of this amazing fruit.
With Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) around the corner, certain traditional foods are expected to appear at the table. There are many different recipes, but there are several which are universal, including honey cake (try out this amazing recipe) and certain fruits. One of these fruits, originating in the Middle East, is the pomegranate.
I have eaten pomegranate around New Year since childhood. It is only recently, however, that I realised that apart from being a traditional fruit, it is also extremely beneficial to your health. Here is a fruit which you should make part of your diet more than just once a year.
1. Full of nutrients
Just as a start, this fruit is full of vitamins that our bodies need on a daily basis. All fruit have a certain amount of vitamins,but each is unique, and includes different quantities of certain nutrients.
The pomegranate is a great source of potassium, just like watermelon and while both fruits contain vitamin C and A, the pomegranate has just under half the recommended daily intake of vitamin C in one serving of approximately 200g.
2. Antioxidants to fight disease
Pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants, in fact, they have between two to three times the amount found in green tea or red wine. Antioxidants are needed to fight free radicals in the body that are one of the causes of cell damage, leading to a variety of diseases including various forms of cancer.
Antioxidants are also influential in reducing plaque build-up on artery walls, which helps the blood cells relax. This makes the level of antioxidants found in pomegranates valuable in lowering blood pressure as well as reducing the risk of various cardiovascular diseases.
3. Lower Cholesterol
The benefits of antioxidants don’t stop with heart disease. They are also influential in helping to lower cholesterol. The bad form of cholesterol is called LDL, against which antioxidants fight. Lowering cholesterol in effect means preventing arteries from clogging, which in turn leads to the prevention of heart disease.
4. Preventing heart disease
Antioxidants are also influential in reducing plaque build-up on artery walls, which helps the blood cells relax. This makes the level of antioxidants found in pomegranates valuable in lowering blood pressure as well as reducing the risk of various cardiovascular diseases.
The benefits of pomegranates are interrelated, which is often the case with the human body, since one physical problem can lead to another more dangerous issue. While the pomegranate is extremely healthy, it is important to note that it can’t prevent all these issues, it can simply help avoid them.
Also, be careful if you are buying pomegranate juice to read the label and avoid products with added sugar.
Either way, try making this tasty fruit part of every day, and reap enormous benefits.
Read more on healthy additions to your life:
Six “Green” Reasons To Drink Camel’s Milk
Aloe Vera – A Prickly Plant with Pizzazz
Cloves In and Out of the Kitchen
Author: Naomi Ben-David
Naomi interned at Green Prophet during the summer of 2010. She grew up in Australia with a chiropractor mom who introduced her to various forms of alternative medicine. Her mother was forever pointing out the healthy food choices in the supermarket, or attempted to make it from scratch at home in order to avoid the preservatives and additives in the food. Naomi’s mother’s influence has stayed with her, impacting the food and medical choices she makes to this day. She is currently pursuing a career in writing.
