What is Pomegranate Juice Good For?

Protecting & Boosting nitric oxide

“Eat a pomegranate and visit a bath; your youth will haste back.” ‐Ancient Egyptian proverb

Idolized in fine art and revered in medicinal history, pomegranate has long been a symbol of health, abundance, and fertility. Science backs up the popularity of pomegranate for their incredible health benefits, familiar to many Mediterranean foods. Pomegranate juice is loaded with antioxidants that are incredibly potent for protecting nitric oxide. Nobel Prize winner Louis Ignarro and his research team examined the impact of pomegranates on nitric oxide protection. They found that they are even more powerful in antioxidants than concord grape juice, blueberry juice, red wine, Vitamin C, and dl-α-tocopherol. The antioxidants activity of pomegranate juice showed special protection of nitric oxide against oxidative destruction. Here is everything you need to know about what pomegranate juice is good for and its impact on nitric oxide boosting. 

Properties of pomegranate juice

Pomegranate juice is widely used for its incredibly high antioxidants, containing even higher amounts than red wine and green tea. Delicious in flavor and a good source of fructose, sucrose, and glucose, pomegranate juice is made up of a host of nutritional components including, but not limited to the following:

Vitamin C - restores endothelial health and supports an increase in nitric oxide production by stabilizing the nitric oxide synthase “helper molecule” called tetrahydrobiopterin. 

Citric acid -  reduces inflammation, liver damage, and DNA fragmentation.

Amino acids - proline, methionine, and valine. Valine, in particular, is an essential residue for protecting the activation site where nitric oxide formation occurs. 

Polyphenols - largest classes include tannins and flavonoids and are attributed to increased performance during high-intensity workouts, vessel diameter, blood flow, better running time, and delayed fatigue.

Catechins - are powerful antioxidants found in green tea and widely studied for health benefits. 

Flavonoids - Pomegranate contains anthocyanins, flavan 3-ols, and flavonols, all known for their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Flavonoids help regulate nitric oxide production homeostasis, protecting the gaseous molecule when needed. 

Pomegranate has many constituents that influence gene expression and improve cardiovascular health, bone health, and workout inflammation. Beyond general health, those who are active leverage pomegranate benefits to strengthen workout quality, length, and recovery. 

What is pomegranate juice good for?

When taken before exercise, pomegranate juice improves blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles, resulting in delayed fatigue and improved athletic performance. But you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the benefits that come from pomegranates. Here are some top ways:

Improve performance

Participants in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition who drank pomegranate juice 30 minutes before engaging in a sport with intermittent running displayed better blood flow and increased exercise performance. 

Pomegranates are a natural source of testosterone which is known to increase athletic performance in both men and women. Subjects in a study published by Endocrine Abstracts showed a 24% increase in testosterone levels after a two week course of pomegranate juice supplementation. 

Support heart health

Pomegranate juice is packed with powerful antioxidants (tannins, anthocyanins) that support heart health. Studies show pomegranate antioxidants, in particular, to be superior to other antioxidants protecting good cholesterol (HDL) from oxidation. Other studies show that pomegranate extract reduces the size of atherosclerotic plaques and reduces oxidative stress.

Support muscle recovery

Gallic acid is a particular polyphenol in pomegranate juice that was shown to improve muscle recovery from workouts. Quercetin is another flavonoid found in Pomegranate juice that has been shown to remove toxins, decrease cellular damage, improve exercise performance and help muscle recovery.

Weightlifters were found to commit more to their intensive training programs with the support of pomegranate juice which helps with muscle recovery from workouts and competitions.

Reduced inflammation from workouts 

The polyphenols in pomegranate juice help to relieve workout related inflammation. Studies with weightlifters who took pomegranate juice during their training program and competitions. One study found that 1.1 cups of pomegranate juice per day lowered the inflammatory markers CRP by 32% and interleukin-6 and 30%.

Anti-aging molecule

Researchers have uncovered a molecule in pomegranate, which by itself was observed to re-establish a cell’s capability to take defective mitochondria and recycle components within. The molecule dubbed a David to the Goliath of aging is called urolithin A.

Dental plaque control

A healthy mouth supports a healthy heart. Pomegranate has demonstrated promising outcomes for the treatment and prevention of plaque buildup.

Memory and cognition

According to a study published in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, pomegranate juice taken for four weeks showed improved fMRI activity during verbal and visual memory tasks compared to a placebo group. Drinking pomegranate juice on an ongoing basis supports brain functions and memory.

Pomegranate juice has been widely studied and shows consistent efficacy for maintaining overall health and athletic support. You can learn more about the many studies that have been published about pomegranate juice here. 

 

How much nitrate is in pomegranate juice?

Fruits tend to contain less nitrate than leafy greens and root vegetables, the same is true for pomegranate. Pomegranate's power comes from its nitric oxide protecting abilities and contains only a small amount of nitrate, about 12.93 mg of nitrate per liter. You would have to drink a considerable amount to use pomegranate juice as a significant source of nitrate. A better use of its incredible properties is to pair pomegranate with high nitrate vegetables like beet and red spinach. The antioxidants in pomegranate juice support nitric oxide production by protecting it against oxidative destruction.

Sourcing the best pomegranate juice is about finding quality ingredients - pure pomegranate juice without additives or added sugar. You can get the same benefits of pomegranate juice from pomegranate extract in powder form. Spin Boost leverages the athletic powers of pomegranate, containing pure ingredients for the ultimate nitric oxide boost like pomegranate, red spinach extract, pineapple, orange, and beet. Learn more about Spin Boost with pomegranate juice extract here.