Pomegranate
Punica granatum
also known as pomegranate fruit, pomegranate extract
Moderate
An ancient Middle Eastern fruit named in nearly every old medical tradition — Egyptian, Greek, Ayurvedic, Persian, biblical. Modern research focuses on the seed-arils and juice, which are exceptionally rich in antioxidants. The most consistent evidence is for cardiovascular and prostate support.
- Modestly lowers blood pressure with daily juice or extract
- Modestly improves blood vessel function — measured as flow-mediated dilation
- Powerful antioxidant action from punicalagins, the main polyphenols in the fruit
- May slow the rise of PSA in men with prostate cancer who have completed treatment
- Anti-inflammatory action documented in multiple settings
- Long traditional use as a fertility and longevity fruit
- Most evidence comes from the juice, the arils (seed pulps), and standardized extracts — not the rind
Pomegranate juice can interact with certain medications by affecting how the liver processes them — caution with statins, blood pressure medications, and blood thinners
Use caution with diabetes medication — juice contains real sugar even though it improves long-term blood sugar regulation
Skip the rind and root bark in any quantity — both are toxic
Skip large medicinal doses during pregnancy — culinary amounts are fine
Research
- Ameliorative potential of pomegranate juice against synthetic colorant (E124)-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in the rat brain and testes.
- Therapeutic effects of pomegranate hot-water extract via inhibition of apoptosis and oxidative stress in a DHEA-induced mouse model of PCOS.
- Phytochemicals as inhibitors of pathogenesis to combat ostertagiosis, toxocariasis, trichostrongylosis and trichuriasis in cattle: A systematic review.
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