5 Pomegranate Health Benefits You Didn’t Know

Alyssa JungUpdated: Feb. 09, 2017

Pomegranates, with their tiny ruby seeds, have amazing healing properties.

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Pomegranates lower cholesterol levels

A recent study suggests that drinking as little as one-quarter cup of pomegranate juice daily may improve cardiovascular health by significantly reducing oxidation of LDL cholesterol. This may be thanks to its antioxidant power; pomegranate juice has two to three times the antioxidant capacity of equal amounts of red wine or green tea. Another small study found that drinking one cup of the juice daily helped reduce stress-induced myocardial ischemia, or poor blood flow to the heart.

Pomegranates lower blood pressure

Research has found that the high antioxidants levels in pomegranate juice also play a role in reducing hypertension.

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Pomegranates help treat prostate cancer

According to a UCLA study, if patients previously treated for prostate cancer drink just eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily, it could significantly slow rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an indicator that cancer is present.

Pomegranates improve erectile dysfunction

Drinking about eight ounces of 100% pomegranate juice each day can help with erectile dysfunction and impotence, according to a study in the International Journal of Impotence Research. At the end of the study, 47 percent of participants reported that their erections improved with the use of pomegranate juice compared to 32 percent reporting improvement drinking a placebo beverage. Researchers say more studies need to be done but believe that the potent antioxidants in pomegranates prevent free radical molecules from disrupting circulation.

Pomegranates fight disease-causing inflammation

One pomegranate provides about 40 percent of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement, and researchers say this reduces “silent inflammation” at the root of diseases like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

Originally Published: May 09, 2014

Originally Published in Reader's Digest

Alyssa Jung

Alyssa Jung is a writer and editor with extensive experience creating health and wellness content that resonates with readers. She freelanced for local publications in Upstate New York and spent three years as a newspaper reporter before moving to New York City to pursue a career in magazines. She is currently Senior Associate Editor at Prevention magazine and a contributor to Prevention.com. Previously she worked at Reader's Digest as an editor, writer, and health fact checker.