Pomegranate benefits
Pomegranate is a “superfood”, which means that it is exceptionally potent and nutritious. Pomegranate is a nature’s Viagra. A recent case history shows that pomegranate is such a potent “male enhancement” juice that washing down a Viagra with a glass can lead to undesired results. There are a lot of studies when it comes to the health effects of pomegranate. The Middle Eastern fruit is claimed to be effective against heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation and some cancers, including prostate cancer. Pomegranate is a good source of fibre. It also contains vitamins A, C and E, iron and other antioxidants (notably tannins). Some of the health benefits of the pomegranate is that this super food fruit can reduce the risk of thrombus, atherosclerosis, lower a high blood pressure or a high cholesterol, and also can help preventing Alzheimer disease. It can inhibit virus infections and also has anti bacterial effects.
Beetroot became popular in Roman times and it was used to treat fever, constipation, wounds, skin problems – and was used as an aphrodisiac. If you’re considering beetroot as one of your 5-a-day, it contains potassium,magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants and soluble fibre. Researchers have known for some time that juice may help lower blood pressure, but in 2010 UK researchers revealed that nitrate is the special ingredient in beetroot which lowers blood pressure and may help to fight heart disease. Drinking beetroot juice increases blood flow to the brain in older people, which may be able to fight the progression of dementia, a 2010 study suggested.Beetroot contains high concentrations of nitrates, which are converted into nitrites by bacteria in the mouth. Nitrites help open blood vessels in the body, increasing blood flow and oxygen to places lacking in oxygen.
Unlike other citrus fruits, blood oranges contain anthocyanins, the same red flavonoid pigments that give blueberries and blue honeysuckle berries their intense colors and amazing antioxidant properties. Using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) as a measure, a group of researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging found that anthocyanins have extremely strong antioxidant properties in vitro. The antioxidant capacity of anthocyanins was found to be even stronger than that of Trolox which is a vitamin E analogue. Antioxidants protect our bodies from the effects of free radicals which are unstable molecules that promote the development of many degenerative diseases and pre-mature aging of the skin. Large amounts of free radicals are formed when our bodies are exposed to pollution, cigarette smoke, drugs, heavy execising, toxic wastes, stress, aging, and UV radiation.
Detox Juice with Beetroot & Pomegranate
- Cut the tops off of the pomegranate
- Score the pomegranate
- Pull the quarters of the pomegranate apart
- Separate the seeds from the pith and put the seeds in a bowl
Since I use an Omega J8006, I throw the pomegranate seeds and pith into the juicer. The Omega juicer separates the juice from the pomegranate seeds and spits the pulp and pith out of the other end. If you use a centrifugal juicer like a Breville or a Hamilton Big Mouth Juice Extractor, you can throw in an entire pomegranate. Just be sure to wash the outside of the pomegranate thoroughly. If you don’t like the taste of the red “peel,” then take a nice to cut the red peel off and throw in the pith and juice. For the rest of the ingredients follow the instructions of your juicer and juice the beetroots, blood oranges and apples.
