Your Health: Pomegranate juice tops list of health-promoting holiday beverages

If you’re a health nut in search of the perfect holiday beverage, pomegranate juice may be your best bet.

The taste is tart and tangy, and the color is rich, red and festive.

Pomegranate juice is made from the fruit of the same name, also known in scientific circles as Punica granatum.

Both fruit and juice are packed with beneficial plant substances called flavonoids.

In the body, flavonoids have powerful antioxidant properties that are capable of disarming disease-causing free radicals.

Free radical damage to cells and tissues is known to play a leading role in the development of dozens of ailments commonly associated with aging, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and arthritis.

Ounce for ounce, pomegranate juice is a richer source of free radical-fighting antioxidants than green tea, red wine and many fruits and vegetables.

Not surprisingly, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that, like other antioxidant-rich foods and beverages, pomegranate juice may play a beneficial role in the prevention and treatment of many common diseases.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the power of the pomegranate to slow the progression of prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death among American men.

In laboratory tests, extract of the fruit triggered prostate cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, a type of cellular self-destruction.

The results of human studies are equally promising. In a clinical trial held at the University of California, Los Angeles, researchers evaluated the effects of pomegranate juice on 48 men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Drinking 8 ounces of the juice daily led to a slower rise in blood levels of prostate specific antigen, a chemical marker for prostate cancer.

In men treated with the juice, the average progression rate of prostate cancer was significantly slower than the rate of progression in untreated men.

Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison reported that the consumption of pomegranate juice could reduce the growth and spread of cancer cells in the lung, or even prevent the development of lung cancer in the first place.

Mice treated with pomegranate extract in their drinking water had significantly smaller and slower-growing lung tumors than untreated mice.

In similar studies, pomegranate extract has been found to thwart the growth and spread of cancer cells in the breast, colon, and skin.

Some experts predict that key ingredients in the fruit will one day serve as important components in treatment regimens for various types of cancer.

If you’re interested in reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease, taking a daily dose of pomegranate juice may be a smart move.

The results of a study conducted at Loma Linda University in California showed that drinking a glass of the juice each day can reduce the buildup of beta amyloid in the brain by half.

Beta amyloid is a sticky, problematic protein. Among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, it accumulates in the brain to form non-functioning areas called neuritic plaques.

Reporting in the December 2006 issue of the medical journal Neurobiology of Disease, the Loma Linda researchers suggested that in terms of preventing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the juice might work just as well as some prescription drugs.

Pomegranate juice may also have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Researchers at the University of Naples in Italy demonstrated that drinking the juice can help prevent cholesterol plaques from building up on artery walls, potentially reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke.

For folks who want to protect their joints from the ravaging effects of osteoarthritis, a little juice may go a long way. Osteoarthritis is a progressive, incurable disease that ultimately leads to the destruction of joint cartilage, pain and loss of mobility.

Research conducted by scientists at Case Western Reserve University proved that pomegranate extract effectively blocks the action of destructive enzymes in human cartilage cells.

Based on their findings, the scientists concluded that the extract may not only slow the progression of osteoarthritis, it may actually arrest the disease altogether.

In doses of 1 ounce to 8 ounces daily, pomegranate juice is considered safe and is generally well tolerated.

There is some evidence to suggest that it may interact unfavorably with a few prescription drugs, including some used to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

If you’re taking prescription medications, it’s wise to speak to your doctor before you dive headfirst into the pomegranate punchbowl.

Otherwise, you can feel free to toast the holidays with a beverage that’s good and good for you.

Rallie McAllister is a board-certified family physician, speaker and the author of several books, including “Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom’s Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim.” Her website is www.rallieonhealth.com. Copyright 2007 Creators Syndicate, Inc.