Pomegranate: Rediscovering Why It Was Treasured in Ancient Times
- In ancient Greece, pomgranates represented life and regeneration.
- In Persian mythology, Isfander eats a pomegranate and becomes
invincible.
- In Judaism, pomegranate seeds are said to number 613—one
for each of the Bible's 613 commandments.
- In Buddhist tradition, pomegranates represent one of three
blessed fruits.
- According to Islamic texts, the heavenly paradise of the Koran
describes four gardens with shade, springs, and fruits, one of which is the pomegranate.
- The British Medical Association and three royal colleges including
the Royal College of Physicians in London feature pomegranates in their coats of
arms.
Combining Ningxia wolfberries with pomegranates can dramatically enhance SOD (antioxidant)
activity. There is tremendous synergy between the two. Pomegranates are high in quercetin
and ellagic acid while wolfberries are high in polyphenols and polysaccharides.
 Pomegranate
vs. Cholesterol
Dr. Michael Aviram, a researcher at the Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine the Technion-Israel
Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel, has conducted almost a decade’s worth
of research on the pomegranate and its role in protecting the heart.
In one of Dr. Aviram's studies, volunteers who drank 3 ounces of pomegranate juice
daily for two weeks exhibited a dramatic reduction in oxidized cholesterol. See
Study (PDF) Study 2
Dr. Aviram also exposed the blood of human volunteers to copper sulfate before and
after drinking pomegranate juice. Copper acts as a catalyst that accelerates cholesterol
oxidation. Consumption of pomegranate juice dramatically increased the resistance
of both HDL and LDL cholesterol to oxidation.
Pomegranate vs. Hypertension
Dr Aviram further found that pomegranate reduced blood stickiness or the tendency
to clump with age. Quite significant considering that older people tend to have blood
that aggregates quickly, increasing their chances of having a heart attack or fatal
embolism. See Study (PDF)
A group of high blood pressure patients was given 50 ml (1.5 oz) of pomegranate juice
daily for 2 weeks
Test subjects registered:
- 36% reduction in serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity
- 5% drop in systolic blood pressure.
Pomegranate vs. Candida
Unlike most fruits high in fructose which yeast blooms, pomegranates actually suppress
them. See
Abstract
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