If you haven't seen, right now is pomegranate season. The pomegranates are so juicy, so sweet, ruby red, and plump. The fruit is shiny and, in many ways, just tantalizing. I know that many western books depict the apple as the fruit of temptation in the Garden of Eden. But, seriously, I think it was the pomegranate. Have you ever eaten one that is in season? It's ruby red, jewel-like parcels contain 100% juice. They burst in your mouth with their refreshing sweet flavor, and the seeds have fiber.
I have been eating so many of these delicious fruits, that the other fruits can't keep my attention like a perfectly ripe pomegranate. If it were really the pomegranate in the Garden, Eve, I don't blame you.
Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants. "Pomegranate juice contains the highest antioxidant capacity compared to other juices, red wine, and green tea," said Professor Michael Aviram at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. There was one study presented in San Antonio at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting in which 48 men who had been treated for prostate cancer drank 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily. Drinking the juice lengthened the time it took for the disease to develop. Doesn't stop disease, but the results indicated there may be chemicals in the juice that have cancer-fighting benefits.
Pomegranate juice also has been shown to inhibit the oxidation of LDL ("bad" cholesterol). And at least five studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect of pomegranate juice on cardiovascular health.
A study published in the Journal of Urology examined the long-term intake of pomegranate juice on erectile dysfunction (in an animal model). Results suggest that free radicals (oxidative stress) are a contribution factor in erectile dysfunction. In response, antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, and is an important part of the daily diet. It may be time to get your pomegranate on!
Our collection of pomegranates:
Source: 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden
