The pomegranate, an ancient fruit from the Middle East now grown worldwide, has a smooth red rind and a crown on top. When you cut it, you see pods of juicy red pulp and seeds. Artists and poets have taken it as a symbol of fertility and abundance. In the "Song of Solomon," the poet compares his beloved's cheeks to "halves of pomegranate," and the Koran describes pomegranates growing in paradise. Shakespeare speaks of a lark singing in a pomegranate tree. Famous painters, such as Cezanne, have used cut pomegranates in still-lifes.
But many consumers don't know what to do with this odd-looking fruit. All that may change, because pomegranates now have their own public relations organization. While pomegranates may never replace oranges, they are actually just as good for you, according to new research. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that pomegranate juice reduced the damage that LDL ("bad") cholesterol can wreak on artery walls in human subjects. Israeli researchers found that the equivalent of 8 ounces daily reduced blood pressure by 5 percent in people with hypertension, and that it had some of the same effects as certain anti-hypertensive drugs. A lot of the findings come from animal studies‑-and more research is needed. But the news so far is encouraging.
Learn more at:
http://health.ivillage.com/eating/enutritional/0,,bw_78lldmb5,00.html
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