Eulalee Thompson
Breaking open the tough, leathery skin of the pomegranate brings the expectant eater face to face with numerous small, tangy, (sometimes sweetly acid when fully ripe), juicy sacs, deep pink or rich red in colour.
The numerous small sacs, with even smaller seeds at their core, though pretty in colour, make eating this round fruit (about the size of an orange) quite tiresome and that's just maybe part of the reason for its dubious popularity in Jamaica.
Dubious popularity - because based on my small, informal survey, when people in their 20s and younger were asked the question, "So, what do you think of the pomegranate?" the response was invariably a grimace and, "Pomegranate? What is that?" People in their 40s and older, however, when asked the same question could recount pleasant childhood experiences connected to the pomegranate; one of them even said that it was his favourite fruit, that is, second only to the naseberry. More evidence of the generation gap?
Well, maybe the fruit juice will cross the generation gap. The fruit's juice is now being bottled and canned and is becoming quite popular, as the latest health food craze here and on this side of the hemisphere (even though it's not cheap).
What's this fruit's current claim to fame? It's all about its powerful antioxidant properties which is now being described in several quarters as 'superior' to other antioxidant sources.
Antioxidants which include vitamins A,C, E; minerals such as selenium and flavonoids found in plants, teas, red wine, protect the body from harmful free radical molecules. Scientists say that these molecules are by-products of normal processes in the body, environmental pollutants and other factors. Free radical damage, they also say, partially explains processes in the development of various lifestyle conditions and in rapid ageing.
And now, the pomegranate's superior antioxidant power. Drinking just one cup of pomegranate juice daily for three months, according to one study, improved the heart's blood flow by 17 per cent and yet others point to the fruit's 'power' to prevent diseases such as prostate cancer and osteoarthritis. Evidence, which is still preliminary and from small samples, indicates that concentrated pomegranate juice could reduce blood cholesterol, an important marker in heart problems.
Health benefits
The food scientists say that the pomegranate 'health punch' is found in its high levels of polyphenols, such as hydrolysable tannins, (especially punicalagins). They believe that pomegranate juice contains antioxidants at much higher levels than other fruit juices.
Just this month the journal, Clinical Cancer Research, published a study (funded by a trust established by the owners of Pom Wonderful, a brand of pomegranate juice) indicating that just a daily eight-ounce glass of pomegranate juice potentially slowed prostate cancer growth in a small sample of 50 men.
The study found that pomegranate drinkers had a longer time to double their blood levels of PSA - the protein that marks prostate cancer presence. The researchers are not talking cure here, but possibly the delay or prevention of harsh therapies in men with the condition. These preliminary findings are to be backed by a larger study, scheduled for completion in two years.
Safety concerns
Researchers generally say that the drink is safe but there are some concerns about regular use and drug interaction - the juice may affect the metabolism of prescription medication and in combination with some blood pressure tablets may actually make the blood pressure too low.
Please send your feedback to eulalee.thompson@gleanerjm.com.
