9 pomegranate juice benefits that make it a delicious and healthy drink
1. POMEGRANATE JUICE IS HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS.
Berman says that one of the differences between consuming pomegranate juice versus the fruit in its whole form as that you’re losing out on some of the nutrients, including fiber and vitamin A. But pomegranate’s high antioxidant content isn’t lost at all when you enjoy it as a beverage. “Pomegranate juice is a rich source of punicalagins, which are powerful antioxidants,” she says. Punicalagins have been linked to helping reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, according to scientific studies.
2. IT MAY IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH
One scientific study of adults with mild memory complaints found that participants who consumed pomegranate juice did better on memory tests than those who didn’t. The reason for this is likely due to the fact that the antioxidants help with blood flow to the brain, which is good for cognitive function. Another study on rats found that consuming pomegranate juice was linked to reducing inflammatory markers in the brain, suggesting another link between the juice and brain health.
3. IT HELPS REDUCE INFLAMMATION
Another pomegranate juice benefit thanks to its high antioxidant content is that it can help reduce inflammation, fighting free radicals in the body that can cause damage to your body’s cells. This is connected to everything from rejuvenating skin to warding off chronic diseases, including cognitive impairment.
4. IT OFFERS SOME IMMUNE-BOOSTING VITAMIN C
Berman says that while store-bought pomegranate juice tends to have lost some of the fruit’s vitamin C content (eight ounces typically has 0.25 milligrams of vitamin C, while a cup of the fruit itself has 18 milligrams of vitamin C), if you make your own, much of it can be retained through the pulp. This means that sipping fresh pomegranate juice can potentially help boost your immune system, in conjunction with other healthy habits, of course. For extra immunity benefits, add a bit of ginger and turmeric.
5. POMEGRANATE JUICE IS GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN
The combined powers of the punicalagins and vitamin C make pomegranate juice a pretty fantastic beauty beverage. Vitamin C helps with collagen production, which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles from the inside out. And because punicalagins help fight free radicals, it helps rejuvenate the skin.
6. IT HELPS PROMOTE GOOD SLEEP
While you’ll reap the benefits of pomegranate juice any time of the day, its magnesium content (17 milligrams a serving) makes it a particularly good pre-bedtime drink as magnesium is linked to promoting good sleep.
7. IT HELPS WITH MUSCLE RECOVERY FROM WORKOUTS
The high magnesium content in pomegranate juice also makes is a great post-workout recovery drink. Scientific studies have linked magnesium consumption with helping muscles better repair from the wear and tear of strenuous workouts.
8. POMEGRANATE JUICE HAS POTASSIUM
One serving of pomegranate juice has 214 milligrams of potassium, part of the 3,500 milligrams you want to aim to get a day. Potassium is an important nutrient for heart health, connected to lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also helps keep sodium levels balanced.
9. CONSUMING POMEGRANATE JUICE REGULARLY IS GOOD FOR HEART HEALTH
Is there anything this stuff can’t do? Pomegranate juice is linked to lower cholesterol and blood pressure if consumed regularly. This is likely because of those all-so powerful antioxidants, which can potentially reduce the amount of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol in the body.