Health Benefits of Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

Pom Wonderful © April 2005

Antioxidants Found in Pomegranate Juice

Antioxidants prevent free radical damage. Free radicals are produced naturally in our body and are thought to play a role in the progression of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and premature aging.

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One of the body's main defenses against this onslaught of free radicals is to consume antioxidants that are typically found in fruit and vegetables. Research has shown that the POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is very high in antioxidants. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice was compared to other beverages known to be high in antioxidants, and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice has more polyphenols than all the other beverages tested.

POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is very high in antioxidants called polyphenols. Polyphenols are thought to be highly beneficial for optimum health, particularly for heart health. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice has more polyphenols than red wine, green tea, white wine, red grape juice, white grape juice, cranberry juice, blueberry juice, apple juice, orange juice and grapefruit juice.

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice and Heart Health

Antioxidants such as those found in POM Wonderful pomegranate juice diminish the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (LDL oxidation) in humans and mice. LDL oxidation is thought to be a factor in the formation of plaque in arteries, a key step in the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in the arteries).

When a compound is attacked by a free radical, its chemical structure is changed, and it can no longer perform its function in the usual way. This is considered 'free radical damage' and the compound is considered oxidized. LDL cholesterol is susceptible to oxidation. Also, after it is attached, it becomes a free radical itself, attacking other normal compounds and turning them into free radicals.

Free radical damage is cumulative over time and is thought to contribute to the progression of many conditions, including heart disease, cancer and premature aging.

An additional human study showed that consuming pomegranate juice reduces another enzyme: ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme). ACE is involved in blood pressure, and inhibition of ACE has been shown to lead to fewer heart attacks in patients with heart disease. Pomegranate juice inhibited ACE by 36% after two weeks of juice consumption. It also caused a 5% decrease in systolic blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis.

The latest published research (Clinical Nutrition: 2004) showed a decrease in plaque of up to 30% among patients who drank 8oz of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice a day. After one year of consuming 8oz of pomegranate juice daily, patients had up to a 30% decrease in arterial wall thickness in the carotid artery, a 21% decrease in blood pressure, a 59% decrease in LDL susceptibility to oxidation, and improvement in total serum antioxidant status by 130%. Those patients continuing the daily dosage for two additional years maintained the benefits.