Pomegranate Benefits

Delicious and refreshing pomegranate benefits health due to its potent disease-fighting antioxidants. It helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Plus, it is healthy for your heart. It is known as “the jewel of winter”.

Apart from the seeds of this fruit, the rind, flowers, root bark, and stem bark of pomegranate also have medicinal properties.

The rind, root or bark, however, should not be consumed in excess because they contain potentially toxic substances.

Pomegranate seeds are included in certain cuisines, particularly Indian, Middle Eastern, and Iranian. The fruit has a pleasant yet tangy taste. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens.

Scientific Name: Punica granatum L.
Other Names: Anar, Dalimb, Dalamb, Dalimbari, Dalima, Daan, Madalai,  An-shih-liu, Granatapfel, Granada, Melograno

Native Region

Pomegranate originated in the Iranian Plateau and the Himalayas. It belongs to the Lythraceae family. There are over 160 varieties of this remarkable fruit.

Healing Properties

Pomegranate has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anthelmintic, astringent, stomachic, and aphrodisiac properties.

It reduces bad cholesterol (LDL), increases oxygen levels to the heart and prevents the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Thus, pomegranate protects against heart disease.

In addition, it controls high blood pressure by reducing systolic blood pressure. Pomegranate benefits in fighting cell damage and facilitating in weight loss, too.

Besides, it is useful in increasing immunity and curing ailments like anemia, hemorrhoids, chronic bronchitis, leukorrhea, etc.

Pomegranate reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer as it lowers the level of antigens (PSAs) in the body. Plus, pomegranate juice fights against breast cancer cells.

Though not proven completely still, it is believed that consuming pomegranate juice over a period of time may help in curing erectile dysfunction. Another benefit of pomegranate is that it protects the neonatal brain when the juice is taken during pregnancy.

It slows down cartilage loss and improves bone formation. Hence, protects against osteoarthritis. Moreover, regular consumption of fresh pomegranate juice prevents dental plaque. Furthermore, it helps relieve symptoms like hot flashes associated with menopause.

Here’s a video giving information on pomegranate health benefits.

In terms of nutrition, it is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, tannins, and alkaloids.

Apart from having organic pomegranate fruit and juice, you can buy its extract or seed oil (for skin) to derive the various benefits of pomegranate.

Medicinal Uses of Pomegranate

• • Drinking about eight ounces of fresh pomegranate juice for at least three months is valuable in the natural treatment of coronary heart disease.

   

• • Mix 10 g each of pomegranate juice and honey. Consume this mixture in the morning on an empty stomach to cure morning sickness.

   

• • Taking one tablespoon of a combination of fresh pomegranate juice, ginger juice and honey is valuable in healing cough and cold naturally.

   

• • Gargling with a tea prepared by boiling pomegranate rind in water helps soothe a sore throat.

   

• • Pomegranate benefits in healing anemia by drinking a cup of pomegranate juice mixed with two teaspoons of honey and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

   

• • When dealing with the problem of burning sensation during urination, take two to three teaspoons of dried pomegranate seeds along with a glass of milk, one or two times in a day.

   

• • Mix half teaspoon each of dried pomegranate flowers (powdered), poppy seeds and dried Indian lilac leaves in a cup of milk. Consume this home medicine two times in a day to cure bleeding piles.

  

  Alternatively, you can take a mixture of one tablespoon juice extracted from pomegranate flower and sugar candy. Follow this therapy two times in a day.

   

• • Boil about 30 g pomegranate root bark, flowers, or pomegranate peel in one liter of water for about 10 minutes. Cool and strain the liquid. Drink two to three cups of this solution to get rid of diarrhea.

   

• • Take about 250 g milk and boil 60 g pomegranate rind in it until it reduces to two-thirds of the original amount. Have this mixture three times in a day to provide relief from dysentery.

   

• • Frequently using a solution of one tablespoon pomegranate rind powder and water as a vaginal douche is useful in curing leucorrhoea.
• • Add five or six pomegranate flowers in a cup of water and boil the solution. Strain the solution and add some milk and sugar in it. Drink this tea to help treat uterine infection naturally.

   

• • Applying a paste or powder prepared by mixing dried pomegranate rind, pepper and salt serves as a natural home remedy for tooth and gum problems.

  Moreover, consuming half an ounce of pomegranate juice about five to six times in a day is useful in relieving bad breath. Plus, you can chew a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds after meals.

   

• • To derive benefits of pomegranate for skin, regularly apply pomegranate juice on face. It lightens skin color and heals blemishes. You can also add lime juice in it.

   

• • Application of warm mustard oil mixed with dried rind powder is useful in healing boils.

   

• • Regularly drinking a glass of pomegranate juice and applying pomegranate seed oil (mixed in your moisturizer) helps in getting rid of wrinkles. Application of pomegranate seed oil improves the elasticity of skin and cures eczema, psoriasis, sunburn, etc.

  

• • When dealing with sores and ulcers, prepare a paste of pomegranate rind and use it on the affected area. In case of burns, apply a paste prepared from pomegranate flowers.

   

• • Prepare a decoction by boiling about a teaspoon of pomegranate root bark and a few crushed cloves in a pint of water until the quantity of water reduces to half.

  Keep the solution aside for 24 hours. Finally, drink this decoction on an empty stomach. After one or one and a half hours, drink a laxative tea such as senna tea to remove intestinal worms.

   

• • Regular consumption of pomegranate juice helps reduce PMS and menopausal disorders. Frequent intake of fresh pomegranate juice works as one of the simplest pomegranate home remedies for mild headache and nausea.

Interestingly, breaking a pomegranate on the ground at a wedding is considered as a symbol of fertility in Greek tradition.

Moreover, this fruit was known as the “fruit of the dead” as per Ancient Greek mythology. It has also been used in certain religious paintings.

Precautions

Although pomegranate benefits in providing relief from various diseases, it tends to interfere with certain medications, especially blood thinners.

Excessive consumption of this fruit or its juice can give rise to constipation. Frequent intake of pomegranate rind can cause nausea, vomiting and upset stomach.