The health news has been full of reports about the benefits of resveratrol for extending life similar to benefits demonstrated for caloric restriction for senior health. Both caloric restriction and resveratrol work to promote longevity, because they change the way our genes are expressed. Both turn off the senescence genes and turn on the youth genes that promote cellular vitality. Recent research has shown that pomegranate protects against age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, and type 2 diabetes by altering gene expression in a way similar to the action of resveratrol. Pomegranate extracts work in a multifold manner to prevent atherosclerosis and to undue the effects of atherosclerosis that has already attacked the arteries. In addition pomegranate juice has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and LDL levels which effectively reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Thanks to pomegranate’s broad spectrum antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is no wonder that it has shown excellent results in preventing certain cancers and reversing the progress of already existing cancers. Beneficial results of treating folks with pomegranate extracts, juice and oils have been shown
for breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
Finally pomegranate juice and extracts have demonstrated powerful preventative effects at multiple levels for folks who are pre-diabetic and those who are diabetic. In lab tests the juice lowered blood sugar and in human trials it improved the lipid profiles in diabetics. The juice reduced the markers of tissue oxidation in diabetics by more than 50% which reduces the amount of atherosclerosis.