POMEGRANATE
we always knew that pomegranate is high in anti oxidant. The recent research has confirmed that pomegranate may prevent and/or reverse the primary pathology associated with cardiac mortality: the progressive thickening of the coronary arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty materials known as atherosclerosis. ( Atherosclerosis. 2013 May)
Mice with a genetic susceptibility towards spontaneous coronary artery blockages were given pomegranate extract via their drinking water for two weeks, beginning at three weeks of age. The treatment actually increased cholesterol levels associated with very low density lipoprotein-sized particles However it reduced the size of the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus (the dilated opening above the aortic valve) and reduced the proportion of coronary arteries with occlusive atherosclerotic plaques.
A separate study, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, took 10 patients with atherosclerosis and measured their carotid arteries before and after one year of supplementing their diet with pomegranate juice. After one year, the plaque clogging their carotid arteries was reduced by up to 30%, while the control group's blockages increased by 9% - effectively reversing the disease process by up to 39% within one year. It also improved their antioxidant status by 130% and reduced the rate of LDL oxidation by 59%. Even it had a positive effect on their systolic blood pressure by 21% within the first year.
This sacred fruit is not in season right now but next time you see it at a shop, or in your backyard, make sure to grab one or two for its amazing cardiovascular health, anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. (as well as of course its tangy and sweet flavour) It is packed with many vitamins and minerals including soluble polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins which scavenge free radicals. Antioxidants are now considered essential for good health as they protect the body from molecules which cause premature aging and help prevent DNA damage that can lead to a number of serious health conditions. Pomegranate also contains a significant amount of good sodium, calcium, vitamin C, niacin, thiamin and riboflavin.
If you are looking for pomegranate that you can use everyday, without having to squeeze the juice our of the seeds, we sell raw organic pomegranate juice powder at the shop, 120 high street, Northcote, melbourne, Australia.
