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Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and protect the body inside and out [Image: xandert- - Morguefile]

Pomegranate extract could help maintain heart health

Natural Health News — A new study has found that pomegranates can help you unclog your arteries by burning fat and increasing blood flow.

According to the study, which was conducted at Barcelona’s Catalan Institute for Cardiovascular Sciences (ICCC), pomegranates contain antioxidant compounds, called polyphenols,  predominately punicalagins, help protect the endothelium, a tissue that covers the internal areas of blood vessels. The extract is taken from the whole fruit, including the skin and pith, using a complex extraction process.

Polyphenols also help arteries expand and contract to maintain blood flow and keep them from hardening, which is the leading cause of heart attacks.

According to author Lina Badimon, director of the ICCC: “This study shows that enriching a diet with pomegranate polyphenols can help in preventing and retarding endothelial dysfunctions, which are among the first signs of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.”

Protecting the heart

This is the first in vivo (in a living body) study on the benefits of pomegranates (Punica granatum) on heart health, however it was conducted in pigs rather than people. It was also funded by the manufacturers of a whole fruit pomegranate supplement, Pomanox. Nevertheless, say the researchers, pigs have a similar cardiovascular system to humans and these very positive findings suggest more research should be done to understand the benefits in humans.

For the study 24 pigs were split into two groups. One group was given a normal diet and the other a high cholesterol diet. Both groups were given the whole-fruit pomegranate supplement, delivering 200mg doses of punicalagins daily for 10 days.

After the trial period, the researchers studied each pig’s endothelial function, that is the capacity to dilate its coronary artery. To do this they assessed things like oxidative damage, inflammatory markers and signalling pathways for nitric oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide is particularly important in helping to dilate blood vessels.

The pigs on high cholesterol diets showed up to a 50% reduction in dilating function, as expected, as well as a diminished capacity to synthesise nitric oxide.

However, when the pigs on high cholesterol diets were given the supplement it was found to negate the effects of their poor diet, improving endothelial function and decreasing oxidative damage.

The results were presented ahead of publication at a recent Congress of European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam.

Beyond heart health

Studies in recent years have claimed multiple health benefits of pomegranate juice, including that it is a good source of antioxidants and lowers both cholesterol and blood pressure, especially in people with diabetes and high blood pressure and may have a role to play in supporting weight loss. It has also been shown to help ward off a number of complications in kidney disease patients on dialysis, and slow the progression of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer.

Other research has shown that whole fruit extract of pomegranates could support the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut.

There are a plethora of pomegranate juice drinks on the market these days. However to begin to get some of these benefits you must look for those that are made with whole fruit extracts.

Pomegranate is also a popular cosmetic ingredient. A 2006 study found that the oil pressed from the seed can stimulate the production of keratinocytes, major cells found in the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). This in turn may help repair skin damage and slow the signs of ageing. The same study found that pomegranate peel extract could stimulate collagen production.

Another study in 2003 found that pomegranate seed oil significantly decreased the incidence of skin cancer in animals exposed to cancer-causing chemicals.