WEB DESK: The thing is pomegranates are healthy in their own right. Sure, like strawberries, they’re a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants, not to mention fiber and anti-inflammatory properties.

More than that, studies show eating the fruit and/or drinking pomegranate juice can help protect against disease, like certain cancers and Alzheimer’s.

MORE POTASSIUM

Those aforementioned antioxidants protect against dialysis-related infections, or kidney diseases, as well as cardiovascular complications (think of high blood pressure).

CURB YOUR HUNGER

Shape cited the seeds’ vitamin C accounts for nearly 40 percent of the daily recommended amount, while they work to lower blood pressure and satiate hunger due to high levels of fiber.

PLAQUE PROTECTION

Some more good news for pomegranate juice drinkers: It protects against dental plaque microorganisms. The juice’s antioxidants, called polyphenols, are a primary driver behind its believed antibacterial activity.

CANCER PROTECTION

A study from the University of California, Riverside found components of pomegranate juice may stop prostate cancer cells from moving, while also weakening the chemical signals that promote this kind of cancer to spread in the first place.

REDUCED RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

A specific polyphenol called punicalagin is believed to be the source of pomegranate’s anti-inflammatory properties. An animal study showed mice fed pomegranate juice experienced lower levels of amyloid plaque — the plaque that accumulates between the brain’s nerve cells, the hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s — and improved their performance for certain mental tasks.

With reference from Medical Daily