Pomegranate Juice - is the New Health Food0

In recent years, health food enthusiasts having been singing the praises of pomegranate juice, and for good reasons.

Pomegranate juice is made from the pomegranate, a fruit, that is used in cooking as well as enjoyed as a refreshing drink. Early evidence is emerging that suggests that drinking pomegranate juice can lower the cholesterol levels in the body. Granted, the number of studies done so far have been few, but considering what is known today, this healthy juice can provide us with several benefits that can optimize our health.

The pomegranate itself is a round shaped fruit that is about the same size of a large orange. The rind is smooth and reddish-pink?on the inside are hundreds of seeds in a juicy red pulp. Pure pomegranate juice contains antioxidants-mainly polyphenols. Pomegranate juice actually contains much higher amounts of polyphenols compared to other citrus juices and in fact, it contains three times the amount of antioxidants than red wine or green tea. Most people also enjoy the rich taste, making it a pleasure to drink. It is a fact that antioxidants do protect the heart and reduce LDL or 'bad' cholesterol and if drinking a delicious juice can lower the levels of LDL in the body- then that's just terrific!

Pomegranate juice is also known to act as a blood thinner and research has proven that it is an outstanding way to ensure proper blood flow to the heart muscle. The juice is also known to reduce the build up of plaque in the arteries, so more and more doctors are recommending this juice to heart patients for those very reasons.

Although the jury is not yet in, it is thought that natural pomegranate juice is useful in battling breast and skin cancer and it has also been tested in mice and was found to slow the growth of prostate cancer .

One more rather interesting study found a correlation between pomegranate juice and the treatment of osteoarthritis. The juice plays the role of an inhibitor on the enzymes that are responsible for damaging the cartilage of the joints in the body. In this particular study, pomegranate juice was applied directly to the arthritic joint. More studies are underway to determine if ingesting the juice can reduce the deterioration of damaged cartilage.

You can find pomegranate juice at most health food stores and it is available as a concentrate as well as in its natural form. The internet is also a great place to find high quality pomegranate juice that is considered to be today's antioxidant superpower. Be sure that the juice you purchase is indeed 100% pure pomegranate juice and not just a watered down blended fruit juice.