Pomegranate: The Fruit with the Most Benefits

Pomegranate is the topping of our most emblematic dish for national holidays, chile en nogada, but for the rest of the year, it is one of the fruits with the greatest nutritional benefits you can find.Categorized as a berry, the pomegranate fruit is red, round, and resembles a red apple with a flower-shaped stem. This fruit can be deseeded and can also be consumed as juice, and it contains a variety of beneficial plant compounds, unmatched by other foods. Many studies have shown that they can provide various benefits to the body, for example:1. Nutritional ContentThe skin of the pomegranate is thick and inedible, but inside, there are hundreds of seeds surrounded by a juicy and sweet covering known as arils. These seeds and arils are the edible parts and can be eaten raw or processed into juice.They are so packed with nutrients that in 174 grams of these seeds and arils, you find 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 30% of the RDI of vitamin C, 36% of the RDI of vitamin K, 16% of folate, and 12% of potassium.2. Medicinal Plant CompoundsPomegranates contain plant substances credited with most of their health benefits: punicalagins and punicic acid.Punicalagins are extremely potent antioxidants found in pomegranate juice and skin, while punicic acid, found in pomegranate seed oil, is the main fatty acid in the arils.3. Anti-inflammatory EffectsPomegranates have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect due to the antioxidant properties of punicalagins. Some test-tube studies have shown that they can reduce inflammatory activity in the digestive tract, as well as in breast cancer and colon cancer cells.4. May Lower Blood PressureIn one study, people with hypertension experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure after consuming 150 ml of pomegranate juice daily for two weeks. Other studies have found similar effects, especially for systolic blood pressure (the higher number in a blood pressure reading).5. May Help with Arthritis and Joint PainSince the plant compounds in pomegranate have anti-inflammatory effects, it makes sense that they could help treat arthritis, as while there are many different types, most involve some kind of inflammation in the joints.As for what science has observed, laboratory studies suggest that pomegranate extract may block enzymes known to damage the joints in people with osteoarthritis, and this extract has also been shown to relieve arthritis in mice, but there is still not enough evidence from human-based research.6. May Reduce the Risk of Heart DiseasePunicic acid, the main fatty acid in pomegranate, may help protect against several steps in the heart disease process. For example, a 4-week study in 51 people with high triglyceride levels showed that 800 mg of pomegranate seed oil per day significantly reduced triglycerides and improved the triglyceride-HDL ratio.7. May Help Fight Bacterial and Fungal InfectionsThe plant compounds in pomegranate may help combat harmful microorganisms and have been shown to fight some types of bacteria, as well as the yeast Candida albicans. Their antibacterial and antifungal effects may also protect against infections and inflammation of the mouth, such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and denture-induced stomatitis.8. May Help Improve MemoryThere are studies in both humans and mice suggesting that pomegranate may help prevent memory deficits and combat Alzheimer’s disease.