Recent studies on a very old fruit are confirming what the ancients believed about the pomegranate. Also known as rimmon, its Hebrew name, the pomegranate has long been prized for its benefits to heart health. We now know it also can be helpful in treating diabetes, dementia, cancer and menopausal problems, and it can even prevent sunburn.
Known by Bible readers as a decoration on the Temple Priests' robes and as a metaphor for beauty in poetic writings, this unique fruit was also used in healing. It was known not only in the Middle East, but also in Egypt, Greece, Spain, China and India.
In fact, in India the 'Gulnar farsi', male abortive flowers of the Punica granatum L., or pomegranate, have been used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Unani medicine. Moreover, a recent study in India showed that an extract of this flower lowered blood glucose levels in diabetic rats.
As for the pomegranate's juice, it improved the ability of macrophages (immune-response cells) to absorb low-density lipids. The researchers in this study concluded that pomegranate juice consumption for three months may help diabetics by lowering the oxidative stress that often leads to vascular disease.
Those with diabetes should realize, though, that this juice is very high in sugar content. As Mike Adams warned in a previous Natural News article, "Eight oz. of pomegranate juice (one serving) can deliver over 30 grams of sugars. That's more than two servings of a sweetened breakfast cereal. It's a lot of sugar to deal with. And if you're diabetic or hypoglycemic, you should never drink these juices on an empty stomach. When you eat real pomegranate seeds, you see, the natural seed fibers slow the absorption of the pomegranate sugars. So the glycemic index of pomegranate seeds is far lower than the glycemic index of pomegranate juice.
"Scientists have been studying the pomegranate to find out just what the mechanisms and characteristics are that enable it to help with so many ailments. This seedy fruit has more anti-oxidative power in its seeds than red wine, green tea and blueberry juice; the seeds contain a number of flavonoids, including isoflavones with estrogenic capabilities. In addition, its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties are becoming evident.
Read in detail: http://www.naturalnews.com/023145.html
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