Pomegranate Juice – Maybe an Ancient Miracle Fruit

Important note: Though the juice is generally without any side effects, speak with your doctor before consuming pomegranate juice if you have cancer or other health conditions. The juice may not suit your situation and may interact with certain medications.

Why is Pomegranate Juice Getting So Much Hype?

There are a lot of reasons, but the reason I got interested is that a good friend used it to eliminate the 50% blockage of his carotid arteries.  He drank 2 ounces daily for one year. That didn’t sound like too much of a sacrifice!!! Here are some other reasons.

Cancer Apoptosis

Dr Leo Galland, M.D. says, “Research is looking at the ways pomegranate juice and extracts of pomegranates may be able to help fight cancer. The anticancer effects of pomegranate juice are related to its potential ability to induce cancer cells to self-destruct, a process called apoptosis. Laboratory research studies suggest that pomegranate juice may help induce apoptosis of human breast, prostate and colon cancer cells by activating genes and enzymes that regulate apoptosis. See his article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/pomegranate-juice-health-benefits_b_946853.html

Lung Cancer, Skin Cancer

“Researchers are adding to the list of cancer types for which pomegranates seem to halt growth. A recent study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison using a mouse model shows that consuming pomegranates could potentially help reduce the growth and spread of lung cancer cells or even prevent lung cancer from developing.” “We have earlier shown that pomegranate fruit contains very powerful skin and prostate cancer-fighting agents.”

Prostate Cancer - preventing metastasis to the bone?

There is an article in the December 12, 2010 ScienceDaily which states,” "Because the genes and proteins involved in the movement of prostate cancer cells are essentially the same as those involved in the movement of other types of cancer cells, the same modified components of the juice could have a much broader impact in cancer treatment." We show that pomegranate juice markedly inhibits the function of this protein, and thus this juice has the potential of preventing metastasis of the prostate cancer cells to the bone," Martins-Green said.” The source of this information is from researchers at the University of California, Riverside.

Cancer Fighter

Recent scientific research is demonstrating that pomegranate may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of various types of cancer such as breast cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.  Research using both mouse mammary organ culture and human breast cancer cells in vitro has demonstrated anticancer effects of pomegranate extracts. Another study demonstrated significant antitumor activity of pomegranate-derived materials against human prostate cancer.  Yet another study shows the extracts of pomegranate can promote differentiation--the ability of cancer cells to revert to their normal counterparts. Pomegranate also contains the anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins (flavonoids), which are substances that have been shown in animal and test tube experiments to reduce tumor angiogenesis. 

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The above information is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used to diagnose, prescribe, or replace proper medical care. The information described herein is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, mitigate, or prevent any disease. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a qualified licensed medical professional.