Originally published December 7 2010
Pomegranates prevent infections
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Pomegranates have been found to be one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits in the world, and a new Israeli study has demonstrated the fruit's amazing ability to fight and prevent infection. Researchers discovered that patients with kidney disease who are undergoing dialysis can considerably reduce their likelihood of infection by drinking just a few cups of pomegranate juice a week.
Dr. Batya Kristal from Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel, and her colleagues randomly assigned 101 kidney disease patients to drink half a cup of either pomegranate juice or a placebo three times a week for a year. At the end of the year, those drinking pomegranate juice showed far lower blood levels of inflammatory molecules and they required fewer trips to the hospital than did those in the placebo group.
"We found significant reductions in hospitalization due to infections, with more than 40 percent reduction in the first hospitalization and 80 percent in the second," explained Kristal. "Pomegranate juice was shown in the past three years to contain the highest levels of polyphenols among a variety of products. Much higher than red wine, for instance."
This positive benefit makes sense because kidney patients on dialysis are bombarded with free radicals caused by the dialysis machines through which their blood flows. So without added antioxidant protection, kidney disease patients are highly susceptible to infection and disease. But by adding pomegranate juice to their diets, they can naturally provide their bodies with a regular mega-dose of free radical scavengers that protect the body from oxidative damage and the diseases it causes.
Previous research has found that pomegranates help to prevent and treat heart disease (http://www.naturalnews.com/030049_pomegranat...), protect the prostate (http://www.naturalnews.com/027435_cancer_Pro...), reduce disease-causing inflammation (http://www.naturalnews.com/027411_pomegranat...), and guard against breast cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/028830_brst_cance...).
To learn more about these and many of the other health benefits of eating pomegranates and drinking pomegranate juice, visit:
http://www.naturalnews.com/pomegranate.html
Sources for this story include:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2010-11/24...
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