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Pomegranate’s polyphenolic antioxidants, including ellagitannins, may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, but their exact role in the body is unclear. The benefits of pomegranate are likely due to its overall chemical composition, and consuming a balanced diet of antioxidant-rich foods is important. Extracting ellagitannins for supplements is not as effective as consuming the whole fruit.
The antioxidants in pomegranate are one of the main reasons people consume this exotic fruit. These antioxidants are called polyphenols and are believed to help the body prevent oxidation processes that could damage cells. The beneficial health effects of the antioxidants in pomegranate have been observed in laboratory experiments, but their role within the human body is still debated.
An antioxidant is a type of molecule that prevents oxidation within cells. Polyphenolic antioxidants are strongly represented in pomegranates. However, ellagitannins, a class of polyphenols, comprise the majority of the polyphenol content of pomegranate. Once absorbed by the body, ellagitannins are converted to other chemicals, with unknown properties and effects, within the digestive tract.
Studies suggest that pomegranates are effective in reducing the chances of developing heart disease and cancer. However, it’s not just the presence of pomegranate antioxidants that accomplishes this. It is much more likely that such health benefits are attributable to the chemical composition of the pomegranate as a whole and the effect that the total composition of the pomegranate has on the human body.
The exact effect that antioxidants have on the human body is not clear. Scientists know what processes antioxidants are capable of in vitro, that is, in a controlled laboratory environment. However, they are not sure of the precise role they play in vivo or within an actual living organism. The persistent problem facing scientists is the inability to track and measure a specific antioxidant as it travels through the body, surrounded by numerous other chemicals and interacting with various processes.
The purported benefits of pomegranate antioxidants include the prevention of heart disease and cancer. They are also believed to possess anti-aging properties and promote better overall health. There are many other antioxidants that the human body can use, each of which reduces potentially harmful oxidation events. However, oxidation is a necessary part of cellular life, so it is important to eat a balanced diet of antioxidant-rich foods along with other nutrients.
Some health food manufacturers have found it cheaper to extract the ellagitannins found in pomegranates and add them to supplements rather than using the actual pomegranate juice. These products sell out quickly due to marketing ploys such as the promise of a longer life expectancy. However, scientific studies have concluded that the health benefits of fruit are more likely to come from the fruit as a whole and not just from the antioxidants.
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