Pomegranate has been known to man since ancient times. Its homeland is North Africa and Central Asia. It is cultivated in all subtropical countries: the Crimea, Iran, the Mediterranean, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Central Asia, as a very valuable plant. Pomegranate has many valuable benefits in medicine and has become a symbol of fertility or marital fidelity in some countries. Pomegranate became the national emblem of the country of the Moors. The city of Granada was named after it. Thanks to its color of “pure fire,” pomegranate gave its name to the mineral garnet.
Nowadays we use pomegranate juice, seeds (sometimes even dried seeds) and peel. Pomegranate is widely used in cooking recipes: soups, sauces, sorbets, jellies and in medicine. Dyes to color silk, cotton, linen and woolen fabrics are produced from the flowers of pomegranate, containing large amounts of bright red pigment.
The pomegranate juice contains about 15 % sugar, and various organic acids, including citric acid, which gives it a pleasant and refreshing taste. Useful properties are accounted for its mineral composition:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- iron.
Pomegranate juice has a high content of potassium, which plays a vital role in the regulation of water-salt metabolism necessary for normal functioning of the body, especially the heart muscle. Furthermore, pomegranate juice has many vitamins — A, C, E, folic acid, thiamin, niacin [1]. Pomegranate juice is useful in a variety of inflammatory diseases of the digestive system and has a pinning effect in disorders of the intestine. Due to its antioxidant activity it inhibits cell proliferation and invasion, and contributes to apoptosis (cell death) in various cancer cells [6].
Pomegranate juice egests radiation and thus, is useful to all who work with radioactive isotopes or live in an area of high radiation.
Pomegranate is moderate in calories and is suggested by nutritionists. Moreover, pomegranate is used in curing various diseases:
- stomach disorders;
- cancer;
- anemia;
- diabetes;
- hypertonia and atherosclerosis;
- Alzheimer’s disease [3].
Regular consumption of pomegranate helps to:
- boost immunity;
- protect against heart ailment;
- lower blood pressure;
- aid in weight loss;
- keep digestive system healthy;
- reduce hair loss;
- slow down the aging process;
- lower stress levels;
- increase libido [1, 4, 5, 7.].
Pomegranate is useful not only for hair but for skin as well. Pomegranate juice is used for face skin whitening, removing acne and freckles [2].
Despite positive properties of pomegranate juice, it isn’t recommended for people with elevated stomach acidity to take it in pure form owing to its various acids (oxalic, wine, boric, apple, amber). Dentists do not advise eating pomegranate to people with sensitive teeth. Pomegranate peel contains a number of alkaloids useful for therapeutic and recreational purposes. In treatment with peel decoction it is important not to exceed the recommended dosage otherwise it may lead to blood pressure increase, dizziness and convulsions.
On the whole, pomegranate is beneficial to our health and skin in a myriad of ways. It is widely used in traditional and folk medicine and should be a part of a daily ration.
References:
1. 17 best benefits of pomegranate juice for skin, hair and health http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-benefits-of-pomegranate-juice-for-skin-hair-and-health/ (accessed April 30, 2015).
2. About the benefit of pomegranate for the health. http://heal-all.org/art/17/diet/8598/about-the-benefit-of-pomegranate-for-the-health (accessed April 30, 2015).
3. Health benefits of pomegranates. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-pomegranate.html (accessed April 30, 2015).
4. How pomegranate seeds keep you from overeating http://www.shape.com/blogs/fit-foodies/how-pomegranate-seeds-keep-you-overeating (accessed April 30, 2015).
5. Top 10 health benefits of pomegranates. http://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/health-benefits-of-pomegranates-sa214/ (accessed April 30, 2015).
6. What are pomegranates good for? http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/10/pomegranates.aspx (accessed April 30, 2015).
7. Which body systems benefit from pomegranate? http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/body-systems-benefit-pomegranate-7471.html (accessed April 30, 2015).
