Fruits and vegetables are very important foods that play a big role in promoting health and optimal weight. As one of the most important sources of nutrients, they represent the epitome of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.
To benefit from as many nutrients as possible, it is important that we integrate and rotate different fruits and different vegetables daily into our eating routine.
We do cook a lot with vegetables and we use fruits to make desserts, but the best way to gain health benefits is through consuming them raw. And one of the best fruits to consume raw is pomegranate that has been proved on and on to present over a dozen benefits.
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Pomegranate helps fight against diseases such as prostate cancer in men, heart diseases, and brain diseases to mention three of the most serious and common in the twenty first century.
This is how the nutritional profile of a pomegranate fruit looks like, with dietary fiber, Vitamin K and copper ranking as the most abundant nutrients.
Vitamins
Vitamin C 28.8mg, 48%DV
Vitamin E 1.7mg, 8%DV
Vitamin K 46.2mcg, 58%DV
Thiamin 0.2mg, 13%
Riboflavin 0.1mg, 9%
Niacin 0.8mg, 4%
Vitamin B6 0.2mg, 11%DV
Folate 107mcg, 27%DV
Pantothenic Acid 1.1mg, 11%
Choline 21.4mg
Minerals
Calcium 28.2mg, 3%DV
Iron 0.8mg, 5%
Magnesium 33.8mg, 8%
Phosphorus 102mg, 10%
Potassium 666mg, 19%
Sodium 8.5mg
Zinc 1.0mg, 7%
Copper 0.4mg, 22%
Manganese 0.3mg, 17%
Selenium 1.4mcg, 2%
Pomegranate contains 52.7 grams of carbohydrates, which represents 18% of the daily recommended value and 11.3 grams of dietary fiber, which represents 45% of the daily recommended value.
Although high in sugars, containing 38.5 grams, the fruit can be consumed by diabetics and it is, in fact, recommended for people that have the condition because the antioxidants in the fruit can help manage blood sugar levels.
Here are pomegranate’s top 3 health benefits and reasons to consume the fruit daily or at least as often as possible.
Helping with blood sugar management
Pomegranates are antioxidant-rich which translates into being one of the most powerful fruits for combating bad cholesterol in people with Type 2 diabetes. This is extremely relevant also in relation to heart diseases, since it’s a well known fact that diabetics are more prone to developing atherosclerosis and other heart-related conditions.
Most recommended for people with diabetic condition is the pomegranate juice because it is under this form that the fruit can aid blood sugar levels better, through the antioxidants that make the sugars in the fruit actually fight against heart disease.
Protecting against cancer
With anti-inflammatory effects and antiangiogenic benefits, pomegranate has therapeutic effects in relation to cancer and also relating to other chronic diseases. Antiangiogenic agents are substances now proven to treat cancer and approved as medication for patients with the disease.
Pomegranate naturally contains the aromatase inhibitors, thus playing a role in inhibiting the production of estrogen and decreasing the risk for developing breast cancer. Studies have also shown that the fruit is effective in treating prostate cancer.
Fighting arthritis
Inflammation is often the cause for many serious illnesses and arthritis is often times experienced as an inflammation in the joints. Pomegranate, due to its anti-inflammatory effects, can help with treating arthritis.
Researchers have already demonstrated the role of pomegranate in blocking enzymes that cause damage in joints, but are yet to conduct additional studies to demonstrate that the fruit helps fight against arthritis in humans, so far only research on animals having been conducted.