Reduces High Blood Pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects an estimated 50 million Americans and augments the risk for stroke, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and kidney disease. Pomegranates may be of benefit in modulating this often silent yet potentially lethal risk factor for heart disease.

In the Israeli study, systolic blood pressure was reduced by 21% after one year of pomegranate juice consumption.9 This effect is believed to be related to the particularly potent antioxidant properties of pomegranate polyphenols.

Prevents LDL Cholesterol Oxidation

Research groups have tested pomegranate juice on both humans and laboratory mice which were genetically predisposed to develop heart disease.  They found that pomegranate juice decreased LDL ("bad cholesterol") and increased HDL ("good cholesterol") by 20% in humans.  The oxidation of LDL, which is believed by many researchers to be a major cause of heart disease, was reduced by up to 90%. 

This sounds very promising for those wishing to prevent atherosclerosis--But what about getting rid of the plaque build-up that already exists in the arteries which can cause a heart attack or stroke?  Fortunately, pomegranate juice consumption significantly reduced the size of arterial plaque both in human subjects and mice.  Nineteen patients from 65 to 75 years of age with severe carotid artery stenosis (70 to 90 percent occlusion) were given 50 ml of concentrated, pasteurized pomegranate juice daily.  This concentrate was equivalent to 8.3 ounces of 100% pomegranate juice.  After one year the mean carotid artery thickness was reduced 35%.  During the same time period the mean artery thickness significantly increased in the placebo group.  The arterial plaque in laboratory mice was reduced by as much as 44%.

In this research conducted over a three year period, Professor Aviram and his research group further showed that pomegranate juice could significantly lower the systolic blood pressure of hypertensive patients in just two weeks.  Patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease showed great improvement in many important physiological measurements and pathological signs compared to the control group.  The Aviram research group concluded that pomegranate juice can offer a wide protection against cardiovascular diseases which may be attributable to its antioxidative properties.