6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Eating Pomegranate

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, each one of them is found to contain unique and beneficial properties that can help with maintaining and improving our health, as well as disease prevention and healing. When it comes to consuming pomegranate, many people have already been doing it for thousands of years for traditional health purposes, and recently, it is becoming more and more popular among health buffs. However, it is important to note that consuming this fruit also comes with certain drawbacks that we should look into. Here are the pros and cons of eating pomegranate:

List of Pros of Eating Pomegranate

1. It provides anti-oxidants.
The fruit contains polyphenols, with the most abundant being the hydrolyzable tannins, known as ellagitannins, which are formed when acids bind with carbohydrates. Also called punicalagins, these tannins have free-radical scavenging properties that prove to offer potentially good effects to the human body, as found by laboratory experiments. Absorbed into your body, these compounds offer some dietary value as anti-oxidants.

2. It helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
According to a limited study of patients suffering from hypertension, drinking juice from pomegranate juice has reduced systolic blood pressure through the inhibition of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme. This helped a patient’s heart by reducing its efforts to circulate blood throughout the body.

3. It has anti-bacterial properties.
Research shows that consuming pomegranate inhibits viral infections and shows anti-bacterial effects against dental plaque. This is why some dental care and mouthwash companies these days are starting to look into this fruit as a potential ingredient in their products.

List of Cons of Eating Pomegranate

1. It can cause some gastric issues.
While there has been no direct ill-effects from excessively consuming this fruit, it is found to have some gastric sensitivity issues. Especially when you have a sensitive stomach, this fruit can cause stomach discomfort and pain, caused by conditions like indigestion.

2. It poses risk to those having high sugar levels.
As recommended by nutritional experts, people suffering from diabetes should observe utmost care when eating pomegranate as this fruit is known to have high sugar content, as well as carbohydrates. So, if you are concerned about sugar in your diet, you can opt for other fruits instead of this fruit.

3. It might have adverse reactions with some medications.
Although it is only from limited research, it has been found that this fruit is showing some concerns that it may inhibit an enzyme that functions to metabolize medication the same way as the grapefruit does. For example, it has been found that drinking pomegranate juice while under prescription of statins might increase your risk of developing rhabdomyolysis—a condition where kidney muscles would break down, eventually damaging the organ. So, if you are under certain medications, it is best to consult your doctor first before consuming pomegranate.

While eating pomegranate comes with amazing benefits, it also has its own set of drawbacks that you should look into. By weighing the pros and cons listed above, do you think that the practice is good for you as a whole, or not?