(03-02-13) Consuming pomegranate juice regularly improves heart health

by Brad Chase

(NaturalNews) Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols,
tannins, and anthocyanins. The health benefits of pomegranate juice have been
compared to that of red wine, purple grape juice, and black tea. The only
potential downside of fresh pomegranate juice is that it is very high in
natural sugar. One cup of pomegranate juice has nearly 30 grams of sugar.

Pomegranate juice reduces atherosclerosis
In 2005, scientists at the Preventative Medicine Research Institute in
Sausalito, CA wanted to discover if pomegranate juice would help reduce
atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart disease. In this study, patients
with coronary heart disease either drank 240 mL (one cup) pomegranate juice or
a similar- tasting placebo every day for three months. EKGs and visual images
were administered at the beginning and end of the study for comparisons.

At the end of the three months, ischemia, the restriction of blood flow due to
blockage, decreased in the pomegranate juice group. However, in the placebo
juice group, ischemia actually increased. No other changes occurred in this
carefully controlled study.

Pomegranate juice reduces high blood pressure
In 2009, a team of scientists published a review of all available research on
the benefits of pomegranate juice in the medical journal Nutrition Review.
Pomegranate juice was documented to not only improve blood flow in the
cardiovascular system of heart patients, but helped to reduce high blood
pressure and inflammation as well. The juice was able to reduce lesions in the
blood vessels of mice with atherosclerosis and the thickness of blood vessels
in heart patients who were on prescription medications.

The study noted that Type II diabetics who drank pomegranate juice saw a
decrease in their blood lipid (fat cell) levels. These scientists determined
that pomegranate juice protects the cardiovascular system so well that it
should be promoted as a standard part of a heart-healthy diet.

Pomegranate juice helps prevent future heart disease
Promising studies such as the above prompted the faculty of the zoology
department at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara in India to
determine if pomegranate juice could protect rats that later developed heart
disease. In 2010, these scientists fed pomegranate juice to a group of healthy
rats for 30 days, while keeping a control group of rats for comparison. On days
28 and 29, both groups of rats were treated with a solution which induced heart
disease. The group of rats which had been fed pomegranate juice was
significantly less affected by the solution.

Johns Hopkins University promotes pomegranate juice as an alternative to drugs
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing strongly supports the consumption
of pomegranate juice for heart health. In 2011, Complementary Therapies in
Clinical Practice published a study on practices involving patients with high
blood pressure and heart disease. The study stated that hypertension, or high
blood pressure, is the most common disease seen in clinical practice today. If
patients do not make lifestyle changes, they will eventually have to be treated
with drugs. As an alternative to medication, Johns Hopkins University
recommends the consumption of pomegranate juice. It reduces blood pressure and
the enzyme activity that leads to heart disease.

Sources:

Pubmed.gov, American Journal of Cardiology. 2005 Sep 15;96(6):810-4. "Effects
of pomegranate juice consumption on myocardial perfusion in patients with
coronary heart disease." Sumner MD and Elliott-Eller M, et al.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16169367

Pubmed.gov, Nutrition Review. 2009 Jan;67(1):49-56. "Pomegranate juice: a
heart-healthy fruit juice." Basu A and Penugonda K.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19146506

Pubmed.gov, Cardiovascular Toxicology. 2010 Sep;10(3):174-80. "Pomegranate
(Punica granatum L.) juice supplementation attenuates isoproterenol-induced
cardiac necrosis in rats." Jadeja RN and Thounaojam MC, et al.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20509006

Pubmed.gov, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2011 May;17(2):113-
5. "The effects of pomegranate juice consumption on blood pressure and
cardiovascular health." Stowe CB.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21457902

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