Mystical fruit, a symbol of birth, death and eternal life because of its seeds and juice filled with blood like, marinated in mythology. The Prophet Muhammad encouraged his followers to eat the fruit to cleanse their system of envy and hatred. In succumbing to the temptation she condemned herself to spend time each year with Hades in the underworld. For modern Greeks pomegranate is often a feature at weddings to symbolize fertility, and in China, sweet version of the pomegranate seeds are eaten on the wedding day to bless the newlyweds.
Known as the 'jewel of winter', the pomegranate is receiving growing acclamation ability to fight disease, mainly due to a staggering antioxidant potency. traditional medicine in the Middle East and India have been using ruby for centuries - leaves, skin and skin included - to cure everything from conjunctivitis and sore throats to baldness and hemorrhoids.
One study in 19 elderly people with atherosclerosis, where plaque has built-up to dangerous levels, found that drinking just 8 oz. from 100 per cent pure pomegranate juice daily for a period of one year decrease in the thickness of their arteries by 30 percent, where the control actually increased 9 percent. Furthermore, those who drank pomegranate juice also had 21 percent a decrease in blood pressure (Aviram et al, 2004;. Pomegranate juice also decreases the activity of enzymes in the body, known as ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) that can cause high blood pressure atherosclerosis .
Anti-cancer Properties
A recent study at the University of Wisconsin Medical School (2005) also showed anti-cancer effect, found pomegranate juice to kill human prostate cancer cells in laboratory tests and significantly slow the progression of prostate cancer in mice (published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science).
This is convincing when one considers large and growing number of those suffering from the disease.
In addition to heart health, anti-cancer and arthritis protection, pomegranate offers all-round protection against aging and disease as potential antioxidants. They also provide large amounts of potassium, iron, folic acid and vitamin C, and vitamin A and E, niacin, and fiber.