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Consume pomegranate in its whole form

It will provide you with added fibre ensuring that you are not overdoing on fructose.

Consume pomegranate in its whole form

(Photo: Getty images)

Pomegranate is a fruit of paradise, with a red velvety skin covering outside and twinkling little ruby jewels inside. Eating a pomegranate every day is a great way to get the fruit’s nutrients and embrace a boost of antioxidants.

Pop them open, scoop out the seeds and eat them whole to enjoy its extremely healthy benefits. Make sure not to throw the white seed inside the red fleshy-sweet-juicy arils as it is full of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. Today, pomegranate is being studied for its many health benefits. It may help with cancer prevention, fertility, arthritis and immune support. Not only this, it is a delicious and an ideal snack for those watching their weight and sugar level. Being low in calories and rich in vitamin A, B and C, minerals like potassium, fibre and antioxidants, it is an exceptionally healthy fruit with many research-backed health aids.

Antioxidants: Pomegranates are loaded with three types of antioxidant polyphenols – tannis, anthocyanins and ellagic acid. If you do not have an adequate supply of antioxidants to help neutralise free radicals, then you can be at risk of oxidative stress. Antioxidants may also help to lower chronic inflammation in your body.

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Antiviral: Research indicates that pomegranates may serve as natural antibacterial or antimicrobial due to their potency against a wide range of food borne bacterial and viral pathogens. They have a long history of treating a number of different infections.

Anti-inflammatory: Pomegranate has potent anti-inflammatory properties that protect your cardiovascular system.

A wealth of nutrients: This fruit is an excellent source of vitamin A, some B vitamins and C with a single pomegranate providing about 40 percent of this vitamin’s daily requirement. It is also loaded with minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron.

Fibre: It is easiest to eat pomegranate seeds in conjunction with arils. Eat them whole as the seeds alone contain fibre, which may help you stay fuller for longer than just eating the arils alone. Chewing and swallowing seeds with arils is completely safe. They are good to reduce weight and sugar level.

Heart healthy: Pomegranate lowers systolic blood pressure, slows or even reverse the growth of plaque formation in arteries, improves blood flow and keeps arteries from becoming thick and stiff. Thus it prevents various heart ailments.

Lowers blood sugar: The seeds of this fruit possess properties capable of lowering blood sugar, potentially benefitting patients with hyperglycaemia and diabetes. Three antioxidant acids present in pomegranate seeds contain potentially anti-diabetic constituents.

Reduces belly fat: It reduces the levels of unsaturated fats which are linked to the storage of abdominal fat.

Improves haemoglobin levels: Pomegranate is helpful in increasing the growth of red blood cells in the body and boosts the level of haemoglobin. The fruit’s ability to act as an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (A, C, E inhibitor) makes it so potent in lowering blood pressure resulting in relaxed blood vessels.      

Lowers overall blood pressure: The miraculous fruit has the power to lower high blood pressure, improve cholesterol and even decrease plaque in arteries in long run.

Sharpens memory: Some studies show that regular consumption of pomegranate can help improve memory due to the polyphenols present in this fruit. These polyphenols are neuroprotective.

Builds strength: Scientists have found that pomegranate can boost endurance by 42 percent to 65 percent. It can slow the ageing process by encouraging cells to repair and renew mitochondria, the parts of cells that convert food into energy.

A potential fertility aid: Pomegranates contain a good quantity of folic acid essential for conception and a healthy baby. The fruit boosts fertility by increasing blood flow to the uterus, promoting uterine lining.

Cancer prevention: It is known to inhibit cell proliferation and invasion and promote cell death in various cancer cells. Most studies have focused that its extracts may constrain the growth of human breast cancer cells by inducing cell death. In men with prostate cancer, those who ate pomegranate daily, it significantly lengthened the time it took for their PSA levels to double meaning that their risk of death due to this cancer has decreased.

Improves digestion: The beautiful fruit is not only good in taste and looks but it also helps in secretion of enzymes to improve the function of digestion.

Alzheimer’s disease protection: Researchers believe that pomegranate can help fight Alzheimer’s disease by reducing inflammation in specific brain cells called microglia.

Arthritis prevention or relief: It may help reduce inflammation that contributes to the destruction of cartilage in your joints that may result in reduced joint pain arthritis sufferers.

Immune system: A recent study at the University of UCLA has shown that high levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and other potent antioxidants in a pomegranate can boost your immune system and may even fight off cancer.

Choose pomegranates that are heavy in weight. Their skin should be firm, not pulpy. Scoop out the seeds neatly and eat them fresh. Besides eating them as it is plain as a snack, you may add them to salads, yogurts, desserts, oatmeal, juices or whatever you like according to your own creativity and palate. However, you may check with your doctor before consuming it daily, to make sure it would not interfere with any of your body function or medication.

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