One power fruit for health betterment that you should have on your grocery list right now is pomegranates. While apples are mostly preferred by everyone in the fall, research may make you change your mind about skipping pomegranates. According to Ella Davar who is a registered dietician, pomegranates offer several nutritional benefits that you may raise your quality of life significantly.
She explains that what this power fruit for health has is hydrolyzable tannins, anthocyanins, flavanols, and both organic and phenolic acids. The reason these compounds are significant is that according to studies the fruit offers benefit against several metabolic conditions and troubling diseases.
Because of this pomegranates make for a great addition to diets for not only better skin and good digestive systems but also its antioxidant properties.
Also Read: Trump Blames COVID-19 Cases in the United States for Bad Election Campaigns Results
She says that studies suggest that compared to red wine and green tea pomegranate juice has a higher potential for the antioxidant needs of a person.
Another potential benefit that Davar believes the fruit offers is that it improves gut health. She explains that pomegranates should be most importantly consumed for their positive effect on microbiota present in the gut. To her, they are powerful antimicrobial agents.
If you’re looking to incorporate them into your diet, you should know that they are not only beneficial as juice but also with their seeds. Some of the compounds in the seeds are used by colon microbiota for metabolic processes. The seeds are also good because they are rich in prebiotic fiber. This is nourishment for the bacteria present in the gut as well as a much-needed bulk to help maintain regular bowel movement. This in turn means healthier digestive health.
Davar explains that there is a way to pick the best pomegranate to optimize the benefits you will receive from it. She points color as the most important indicator for whether the fruit will offer maximum benefit. One should always go for deeper darker colored fruit because the darker the color of the fruit the most anthocyanins are present in it.
Davar says rich cherry-red colors should be good indicators for the fruit being good for you. People should at the same time avoid buying ones that contain big white portions in the color of their peel.
Also Read: National Jewish Health Analyzed Cardiovascular Effects of the Most Popular Fad Diets
The reason anthocyanins are a significant part of the pomegranate is because it is a very important and functional component in foods. She explains that these are water-soluble plant pigments that are part of the family of flavonoids and give the fruit its color and juice. Since they are responsible for the color inside the fruit peels, they offer benefits in juice form as well.
While this powerful fruit can be added to any meal of the day, Davar likes to sprinkle it on salads, oatmeals, and plain yogurt for herself. She also shares that many Georgian cuisines have a lot of variety in their recipes that use pomegranates, these include anywhere from eggplant rolls, pomegranate salmon to pomegranate chicken.
If you’re looking to add this beneficial fruit to your diet, make sure you do not have any allergies you don’t know about.