Did you know the word pomegranate means apple with many seeds? Native to the Middle East, these many-seeded fruits pack in nutrition and health benefits. They are a part of the berry family and are considered a super fruit.

They are one of the most versatile fruits, not only because they can be stored for nearly two months in the refrigerator, but much more. Adding pomegranate to foods is easy, nutritious, and very cost-effective. Pomegranate is high in many nutrients and essential vitamins that can help the body function well long-term.

In Greek mythology, the pomegranate symbolizes death and fertility, known as the ‘fruit of the dead.’ Perhaps because of some rare symptoms of eating certain parts of this fruit, pomegranate is typically a safe and nutritious option. The benefits of pomegranate range as an aide for the whole body. The nutrient profile of pomegranate is impressive and worth noting for a healthy mind and body.

Fun Fact:Pomegranates have hundreds of edible seeds that can be enjoyed either fresh or turned into juice.

Table of Contents

Health Benefits of Pomegranate
Possible Side Effects from Overconsumption
How to Add More Pomegranate to your Diet
Conclusion

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

Check out the main health benefits of pomegranate below and see how you can start adding this delicious fruit to your routine today.

1. It May Boost Immunity

There is so much you can do to protect your immune system from the cold, flu, and many other viruses. Diet is one of the most critical areas to look at when you want to keep your immunity strong. That is because the body needs plenty of vitamins and minerals to work at an optimal level and ward off disease.

Pomegranate contains vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, as well as many other vital nutrients (1). Vitamin C is one of the most critical nutrients to ward off disease and viruses (2). Just eating one pomegranate gives you 50 percent of the daily recommended dose of vitamin C for the day, providing 28 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin K also plays an essential role in keeping your immunity up by boosting vitamin D production in the body. Taking vitamin D in combination with vitamin K2 helps to boost absorption and enhance bone health (3). New research even shows that vitamin K and vitamin D can contribute to preventing Covid-19 (4, 5).

Adding some pomegranate to your diet is a great way to boost immunity along with a healthy and balanced diet.

Summary:Pomegranates contain vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, all of which can help boost the immune system.

2. It May Fight Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world and especially in the United States (6). More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 90 to 95 percent of those people have type 2 diabetes. Keeping a healthy and balanced diet is essential to prevent and even reverse type 2 diabetes.

It turns out that eating more pomegranate as a part of a healthy diet can help to fight type 2 diabetes (7). Fasting glucose levels were significantly reduced when participants added pomegranate extract to their diet (8). Adding more nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables can not only help to boost immunity but also ward off one of the most common chronic diseases around. Pomegranate contains tons of antioxidants that help to decrease inflammation throughout the body. Antioxidants are necessary to lower oxidative stress as well.

Symptoms of high blood sugar like muscle pain and fatigue can decrease significantly when adding the right healthy foods to your diet more often. Pomegranates can easily be included in that list of foods. Pomegranate has a low glycemic index and people with type 2 diabetes must follow a low-glycemic diet (9).

Summary:Studies have found that consuming pomegranates may help lower blood sugar and inflammation which can help prevent issues like type 2 diabetes.

3. It May Enhance Digestion

Digestive issues affect millions of Americans with issues ranging from acid reflux, GERD, and much more. Gastrointestinal discomfort can be a huge contributor to many downstream issues in the body as well.

High in vitamin K, pomegranate can help enhance the absorption of vitamin D in the body. Adding enough nutrients like these is essential to boost immunity and also prevent inflammatory bowel disease (10). Pomegranate helps to improve digestion by not only lowering inflammation, but it helps to promote the growth of gut bacteria that are necessary to maintain healthy gut microflora (11), (12).

Maintaining a healthy gut is a life-long practice of continually adding nutritious foods and providing plenty of probiotics for better digestion. See if adding some pomegranate can help to improve your digestive health overall.

Summary:Pomegranates may help improve digestive health by promoting growth of healthy gut bacteria and due to the vitamins they contain.

4. It May Improve Skin Health

The antioxidants in pomegranate are a wonderful way to boost skin health overall. From aging to decreasing redness and more, there are so many benefits pomegranate can have on your skin. These tasty fruits can help with decreasing the chance of premature aging that brings on wrinkles, fine lines, and even damage from sun exposure (13), (14).

The high level of vitamin C in pomegranate is helpful to boost good skin health as well. Getting enough vitamin C is crucial to maintaining a healthy immune system, skin health, and much more (15). To get even more skin-loving benefits from pomegranate, juice them to have a quick grab and go drink.

Pomegranate can also help boost the appearance of dull or dry skin due to the amount of vitamin C it contains. Are you wondering if your skin needs a boost? It can’t hurt to add some nutritious foods to your diet to aid in healthy, glowing skin.

Summary:Because of the vitamin C and antioxidants they contain, pomegranates are a great food that may improve skin health and its appearance overall.

5. It May Regulate Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States (16). Nearly half of the adults in the United States have high blood pressure, 47 percent. That means 116 million people suffer from a preventable disease. Most of the cases exist because of poor lifestyle or food habits. There’s good news. You can prevent high blood pressure and even lower existing hypertension by changing your diet.

Pomegranate consumption reduces a certain enzyme called the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (17). That protein helps to control blood pressure by altering the size of blood vessels in the body. Pomegranate juice can be even more potent to help prevent high blood pressure and even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (18).

Because pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, it can reverse atherosclerosis as well as vascular inflammation (19). If you have a history of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, adding more foods high in vitamin C, K, and antioxidants like pomegranate can help to decrease your risk of disease.

Summary:Some research has shown that pomegranate consumption reduces enzyme function that control blood pressure, therefore making pomegranates a heart-healthy food.

6. It May Help Prevent Certain Types of Cancer

Pomegranate may even play an important role in cancer prevention due to its high nutritional profile of vitamin C, vitamin K, antioxidants, and more. Some studies show that pomegranate may help with slow cancer production of breast, prostate, and colon cancer cells.

Pomegranate is not only anti-inflammatory due to its antioxidants, but it may also have anti-tumorigenic properties to slow cancer growth. This fruit can act as a chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent by regulating many pathways in the body (20), (21).

While pomegranates are not the only thing necessary to prevent cancer, there is some promising research that adding more to your diet may help to ward off cancer. Always keep a healthy, nutritious diet and active lifestyle to maintain optimal health.

Summary:Pomegranates not only anti-inflammatory but anti-tumorigenic, which may prevent or even slow certain types of cancer.

Possible Side Effects from Overconsumption

Although overconsumption of pomegranate is typically rare, eating too much can cause side effects or health complications. That can mostly only occur if eating beyond the seeds. The root, stem, and peel of pomegranate contain poisons, so an overconsumption of these areas can be problematic.

If you consume too much pomegranate extract, it is possible to experience some of the below symptoms or side effects (22).

Runny Nose
Swelling
Itching
Difficulty Breathing

Pomegranate is typically safe, especially if you consume the seeds in moderation. Eating pomegranate seeds can be a healthy way to add more diversity to your diet.

Summary:Although pomegranates are generally safe to consume, some people have reported negative side effects.

How to Add More Pomegranate to your Diet

Now that you know some of the health benefits pomegranates can offer, how can you eat more of this sweet fruit? There are many ways to enjoy pomegranate as a snack or even in many of your favorite meals. See where you can start enjoying the fruit below.

Tired of Your Food Routine? Eat More pomegranates with these suggestions:

Make some refreshing pomegranate juice for a change
Add pomegranate seeds to your favorite breakfast like cereal, oatmeal, or even yogurt
Garnish your favorite desserts with pomegranate seeds for a colorful look
Make your dip pair with a protein-like chicken. Simply juice the seeds and add your favorite spices.
Make your marinade by juicing the seeds
Add pomegranate seeds to your favorite salad. They pair well with arugula, goat cheese, and pears.
Enjoy pomegranate seeds as a quick snack plain.

The options go on with adding more pomegranate to your diet, so feel free to get creative with your meals.

Fun Fact:The seeds have a tangy taste similar to cranberry, but sweeter.

Conclusion

Like many fruits and vegetables, pomegranate can be especially beneficial for many areas of the body. By promoting good gut health and digestion, there are so many downstream effects that can improve your health.

From improving digestion and skin health to boosting immunity and even helping to prevent cancer, pomegranate can be a great addition to most diets. It is extremely versatile and easy to add to many meals and snacks, whether in breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Pomegranate is typically safe for most to consume, but overconsumption may be an issue for some. Where can you start adding more of this super fruit to your diet today?

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