Get These 4 Pomegranate Benefits for Your Heart & More

Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are well known for providing a variety of health benefits. But did you know what pomegranate benefits your health as well?

This flavorful berry usually doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you hear about the nutritional content of berries, but pomegranates are incredibly delicious, versatile, and packed with antioxidants, fiber, and nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, iron, potassium, and so much more. [1]

Plus, because they peak between September and November each year and have a pretty lengthy shelf life, they’re the perfect berry to adorn many of your fall and winter dishes when other berries aren’t in season.

Let’s take a look at some of the incredible ways pomegranate benefits your health.

4 Amazing Pomegranate Benefits

Here are five of the top benefits of consuming pomegranates on a regular basis. They are so flavorful, you’ll want to add them to everything!

1. May help fight inflammation

Thanks to its rich polyphenol properties, especially anthocyanins, pomegranate benefits those concerned about inflammatory-mediated conditions.

While more research is needed, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed that pomegranates contain anti-inflammatory properties due to their rich nutrient profile. [2]

In fact, researchers have noted that thanks in large part to their inflammation-fighting antioxidant activities, pomegranate may play a role in both helping to prevent and treat different forms of cancer, such as skin, breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. [3]

2. Supports memory and brain health

According to research, pomegranate benefits your memory as well!

In a study published in 2020, researchers randomly assigned 8 ounces of pomegranate juice or a placebo drink to 261 adults ranging in age from 50 to 75. The participants were to consume their beverage daily for a year.

Interestingly, the participants who consumed the pomegranate juice maintained their ability to learn visual information while those who drank the placebo juice experienced a significant decline in their ability to learn the same visual information. [4]

3. Supports healthy blood pressure levels

Another one of the incredible ways pomegranate benefits your health is by supporting your heart function.

According to a 2017 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, the antioxidant properties in pomegranates have been found to help lower high blood pressure.

The review of eight clinical trials revealed that consuming pomegranate juice reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, regardless of how much or how long the subjects drank the juice.

On average, drinking pomegranate juice reduced systolic blood pressure by 4.96 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2.01 mmHg. [5] So, drink up!

4. Promotes healthy skin and hair

Thanks to its rich vitamin C content, consuming pomegranate benefits your skin and hair as well.

In fact, one pomegranate contains 28.8 mg of vitamin C, which accounts for about 30 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for men and almost 50 percent of the RDA for women. [6]

So, how does the vitamin C in pomegranates benefit your hair and skin? It all comes down to collagen.

Research has shown that vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen, a protein in the body responsible for keeping your skin looking youthful and your hair strong. Plus, it serves as an antioxidant and helps to protect your skin against UV damage. [7]

What’s the Best Way to Get More Pomegranate?

There are a few different ways to take advantage of pomegranate benefits by getting more of it into your regular nutrition rotation.

First, if you’re looking for something easy and quick, you may want to opt for unsweetened organic pomegranate juice. It’s quick and easy to drink on the go, it’s delicious alone or added to other beverages or foods.

Personally, I love to add pomegranate seeds to grains, proteins, vegetables, and salads for extra crunch. If you’re looking for new ideas, check out my new recipe: Winter Kale Pomegranate Salad with Candied Walnuts.

Regardless of how you choose to consume them, pomegranates contain a wealth of benefits that will support your overall health and well-being. So, find what works for you and enjoy one of the sweetest fruits nature has to offer!