Health & beauty: Aik anar sau benefits

How Pomegranate attributes to good-looks and long-life

Pakistan is blessed with a climate favourable to many kinds of fruits. One of them is the in-season fruit pomegranate, also known as the ‘fruit of paradise’. Not only are they visually striking but can also contribute towards accentuating beauty due to their wonderful health benefits.

Adding these nutrient-rich fruits to your diet can be an important step towards maintaining youthfulness and giving your face a fresh glow. As compiled from allwomenstalk.com, mindbodygreen.com and livestrong.com, here are some health and beauty benefits of eating anar.

1. Fights wrinkles

One of the many amazing benefits of eating pomegranate is that it’s anti-aging and helps fight wrinkles. A source of polyphenols and a type of antioxidant, it wards off wrinkles, fights ageing and makes skin look more youthful. One pomegranate contains about 30 milligrams of Vitamin C, a vitamin and potent antioxidant needed for healthy skin. It comprises about 1.5 milligrams of Vitamin E, another antioxidant vitamin that supports immune function and helps keep the lining of your blood vessels smooth.

2. Lowers bad cholesterol

Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and offers great preventative health treatment. Its high antioxidant content helps lower bad cholesterol associated with heart disease and high blood pressure. In a study conducted on both humans and animals and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000, researchers found that pomegranate juice consumption helped to inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol.

3. Beats inflammation

Pomegranate is one of the best fruits to beat inflammation and fight symptoms of arthritis. It’s powerful as an anti-inflammatory aid as it prevents the breakdown of cartilage. This doesn’t just make your joints feel great, but also prevents ageing. A 2009 study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology found that pomegranate extract inhibited inflammation of human intestinal cells in laboratory tests.

Read: King Of Fruits: Pakistani mangoes loved by Turks

4. Lowers blood pressure

Pomegranate has been linked to studies indicating that it’s beneficial in lowering blood pressure in people, who suffer from chronic high blood pressure. This is in part due to its antioxidant content as well as its effect on arterial walls when consumed as a whole seed, or in the form of pomegranate juice.

5. Prevents cancer

While pomegranate isn’t a direct cure to cancer, it certainly aids the process of stopping cancer cell growth, when consumed regularly. According to Harvard Health Publications, studies suggest that pomegranate extracts significantly curtail the growth of prostate tumours.

6. Betters brain cognition

Pomegranate is so high in polyphenols that it has been consistently linked to better brain cognition and memory, especially in terms of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Its seeds are rich in brain-boosting antioxidants that improve neurological function and cognitive abilities.

7. Boosts serotonin

Pomegranate has been linked to significant improvements in serotonin levels in multiple studies. This research shows that pomegranate seeds immediately improve mood and a sense of well-being and if consistently consumed, can be as beneficial as anti-depressant medication when combined with a well-rounded diet and exercise.

By Komal Anwar

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2015.

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