Pomegranate Benefits for Women

The delicious sweet taste of pomegranate seeds coupled with their gem like sparkle and color has led to the fruit finding a frequent mention in mythology and history. Though most of us associate the 'forbidden fruit' from the garden of Eden to be an apple, Iranians believe that Eve was tempted with a pomegranate! Another famous tale featuring the fruit is part of Greek mythology where Persephone, daughter of the harvest goddess Demeter, was kidnapped by Hades, God of the underworld. Unfortunately she ate a few pomegranate seeds before being rescued, due to which she had to spend several months every year in the underworld with him.

Just as pomegranate has a place in the mythology of many civilizations, it also has a place in traditional medicine. In the Middle East, Iran and India, the bark, leaves, skin and rind as well as the edible bits of the fruit are used to cure just about everything from conjunctivitis to hemorrhoids. However, in the recent past, the medical community has also woken up to the benefits of pomegranate. Being touted as a miracle fruit, there are a wide number of studies that have and are being conducted to prove the pomegranate indeed improves ones health in several ways.

Health Benefits

Much of the current research focuses on the antioxidants contained in pomegranates and their benefits. It is the only fruit to contain the three major antioxidants: tannins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. Antioxidants have several important functions in the body, from boosting immunity system, to safeguarding the body (when in high concentrations) from the damaging effects of pollution, cancer, diabetes and many other debilitating diseases. Pomegranate juice most likely has more antioxidant properties than red wine or green tea!

The antioxidants called polyphenols, may play an important part in protecting the heart and arteries. Studies in mice have shown that pomegranate juice slows down the rate at which arteries harden and may also reduce the amount of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, in the bloodstream. The polyphenols may even help reverse damage that having high blood pressure causes to the walls of the arteries and blood vessels. The Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in 2002 conducted by Israeli researchers that proved pomegranates to be effective in fighting the leading cause of heart disease, atherosclerosis.

Benefits for Women

Filled with vitamins A, C, E and iron, the pomegranate benefits for women are many. As we have already read, it is rich in antioxidants, and there are cases increasing the body's level of antioxidants is believed to slow the aging process. In addition, the benefits during pregnancy are that it is a rich source of folic acid, potassium, niacin, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and fiber.

According to a new study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a group of phytochemicals called ellagitannins found in abundance in pomegranates were seen to inhibit the growth of estrogen-responsive breast cancer in laboratory tests. Researchers say the ellagitannins in pomegranates work by inhibiting aromatase, which is a key enzyme used by the body to make estrogen and plays a key role in breast cancer growth.

In traditional medicine, pomegranate benefits for skin and acne are widely reputed. This belief is now proven true by scientific study by a team at Kingston University in London about the infection-fighting power of pomegranate rind. When combined with vitamin C and metal salts, it can be turned into an ointment to treat common hospital infections, including those caused by highly dangerous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria.

While you may very soon hear the phrase 'a pomegranate a day keeps the doctor away', one is advised against taking any pomegranate herbal or dietary supplement without consulting their doctor. Pomegranate juice may interact with some prescription medications, such as high blood pressure medications and statins. There are constant and ongoing studies, and every now and then, new pomegranate benefits for men and women are being discovered.