Pomegranate juice health benefits and side effects

Small studies seem to suggest that drinking pomegranate juice might lower cholesterol, but overall the evidence is mixed. It's thought that pomegranate juice might block or slow the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries of people who are at higher risk of heart disease.

Like many fruit juices, pomegranate juice contains antioxidants, especially polyphenols. Pomegranate juice contains antioxidants at higher levels than do many other fruit juices, and it contains nearly three times as many antioxidants as green tea or red wine does. Antioxidants are thought to provide several heart-protecting benefits, including reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol.

Pomegranate juice is generally safe to drink if you take some precautions. Check the label to be sure that you're drinking pure pomegranate juice, and not a mixture of juices that contains added sugar. The sugar adds more calories to the juice, which reduces its heart-health benefits.

As you should do with any herbal or dietary supplement, talk to your doctor about pomegranate juice before you start drinking it regularly as a supplement. Pomegranate juice may cause dangerous side effects when it interacts with certain prescription medications, such as the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, including captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) and ramipril (Altace).

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Nov. 25, 2020

  1. Aviram M, et al. Pomegranate protection against cardiovascular diseases. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM. 2012;2012:el.
  2. Pomegranate. Natural Medicines. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com. Accessed Sept. 20, 2017.
  3. AskMayoExpert. Pomegranate. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.
  4. Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 20, 2017.
  5. Manthou E, et al. Effect of pomegranate juice consumption on biochemical parameters and complete blood count. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2017;14:1756.

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Is it good to drink pomegranate juice everyday?

Drinking pomegranate juice daily may help lower systolic blood pressure. One review found evidence of significant drops in blood pressure after consuming pomegranate juice. The authors note that regular consumption of this juice could be part of a heart-healthy diet.

What are the side effects of pomegranate juice?

Possible Side Effects.
Itching..
Swelling..
Runny nose..
Difficulty breathing..
Anaphylaxis (a life-threatening reaction).

Who should not drink pomegranate juice?

Pomegranate juice may cause dangerous side effects when it interacts with certain prescription medications, such as the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, including captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) and ramipril (Altace) ...

What are the benefits of pomegranate juice?

These antioxidants benefit your cardiovascular system, helping it to keep artery walls from thickening and reducing the buildup of cholesterol and plaque. Pomegranate juice has also been shown to contain significant amounts of anthocyanins and anthoxanthins that support good heart health.