Pomegranate Juice Cuts Cardiovascular Disease Risks

Pomegranates, a native Middle Eastern fruit, contain crunchy seeds surrounded by juicy pulp.  This fruit is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants.A new study shows that pomegranate juice should be the beverage of choice to fight hardening of the arteries.  Not only does the juice appear to prevent hardening of the arteries by reducing blood vessel damage, but the antioxidant-rich juice may also reverse the progression of this disease.Researchers believe the beneficial effect of the pomegranate juice on the arteries is likely due to its high antioxidant content.  Preliminary studies suggest that pomegranate juice may contain three to five times the total antioxidant ability compared to the same quantity of green tea or red wine.Pomegranates are very healthy and high in antioxidants. It is best to find them in season in the winter in your grocery store when they are plentiful and not too expensive. You can also look for the juice in your local grocer’s produce cooler, health food section or juice aisle. The juice is often found under the manufacturers POM Wonderful, Knudson or Lakewood. If the product is not available, you can request to have the grocery store begin stocking the juice.It is recommended in order to reap the benefits of this juice, you should consume at least 2 – 4 ounces of the juice daily. You should make room for it in your calorie allotment by replacing soda with it and watch portion size. Some ideas include:- Use it to flavor tea.- Add to sparkling water to make soda.- Use it on salads.- Use it as a syrup to flavor fruit and yogurt.Sources: Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun; 23 (3):423-33; Nigris, F.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Mar 21, 2005 early online edition; vol 102: pp 4896-4901.