Pomegranate
Punica granatum · दाडिम
Fruits. Middle Eastern & Unani and Ayurveda.
Also called Rumman, Anar, Dadima
Spanish: Granada
Sanskrit: दाडिम (Dadima)
Root bark is toxicA red, seed-filled fruit eaten fresh or as juice, studied for blood pressure and joint pain.
Did you know? Each pomegranate holds hundreds of juicy seeds, called arils, packed inside a leathery rind.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Blood pressure. Small trials and reviews found that juice lowers blood pressure a little. Effects are modest and studies are short.Early proof
- Joint pain & arthritis. Small early studies suggest less joint pain with pomegranate extract. Proof is limited.Traditional proof
- Men's health. A small trial in men with prostate cancer found that juice or extract slowed a rise in PSA, a blood marker. The result is not proof that it helps prostate cancer.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Ayurveda uses pomegranate for diarrhea and heart support. Persian and Arab healers have used the juice and molasses for sore throat and digestion.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Astringent, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Eat the seeds fresh, sip the juice, or take extract capsules. Studies used daily juice or extract, but no standard dose is set.
Juice, food and capsule.
Where to get it
Grown in Iran, India, Turkey and California. Buy whole fruit in produce sections and juice in stores, and check labels for added sugar.
Be careful
Fruit and juice are safe as food. The root bark and peel of the tree are not food and can be toxic, and root bark tea has caused serious poisoning. Juice can change how some medicines work, including blood pressure and statin drugs.
Avoid if: low blood pressure.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Pomegranate molasses and sumac are common partners in Middle Eastern dishes.
- Use cautionStatins (Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor)
Juice may raise levels of some statin drugs. Talk to a doctor if you drink a lot.
- Worth knowingBlood pressure medicine (lisinopril, amlodipine, losartan)
Juice may lower blood pressure a little. Check readings if you take blood pressure medicine.
The honest take
Juice and fruit are healthy foods with some decent blood pressure data. Joint and prostate claims rest on small, early studies. The tree's peel and root bark are not food and can be poisonous.