Pomegranate (Punica Granatum)

1. What Is Pomegranate (Punica Granatum)?

The pomegranate is the fruit of the pomegranate tree. The tree grows in warm, dry areas. The seed coats and the juice from them are food. Peel and bark were formerly used for preparations. In studies, juice, fruit extract, peel extract, and seed oil are investigated separately.

2. Where Is It Found, and What Is It Made From?

The pomegranate tree grows in warm regions of Asia, around the Mediterranean, in North Africa, and in America. The fruits ripen in autumn. Juice is pressed from the seed coats. Extracts are made from whole fruits or peels. Seed oil is pressed from the seeds. During juice production, peels and seeds are left over.

3. What Does Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Do? What Research Shows

Blood Pressure and Blood Vessels

Pomegranate juice lowered blood pressure more than the control in several controlled studies (with a comparison group) 2229313341. Pomegranate extracts, including peel extract, also lowered it compared with placebo 3448. A review of many studies also found a reduction, but the individual studies were very inconsistent 13. In dialysis patients, the difference after accounting for baseline values was not confirmed 38.

Blood Lipids

Several controlled studies with adults with metabolic problems or dialysis (blood washing) showed: juice or extract lowered triglycerides (a type of blood fat) and raised good HDL cholesterol 22333435. Pomegranate extracts, including peel extract, also lowered total cholesterol more than placebo 323448. LDL cholesterol did not fall in one of these studies 34, and even rose with concentrated juice 33. A review, by contrast, found no effect on blood lipids 8.

Exercise and Recovery

Compared with placebo, pomegranate extract prolonged the time to exhaustion in cyclists and runners 4244. Juice before each training session increased aerobic performance over several weeks in young adults with elevated blood pressure more than placebo 46. Review articles see indications of faster recovery after exertion 1617. For muscle soreness and strength, the results are mixed 453742.

Oral and Gum Health

A pomegranate mouthwash lowered dental plaque and gum inflammation in adolescents more than placebo 36. Compared with chlorhexidine, pomegranate mouthwashes usually reduced dental plaque equally well 263047; against caries bacteria, chlorhexidine had a somewhat stronger effect 273047. A chip with pomegranate extract improved gum pockets more than tooth cleaning alone 3940. A gel with pomegranate extract, by contrast, did not prevent dental plaque better than a placebo gel 43.

Prostate

In a placebo-controlled study, pomegranate extract did not prolong the time to PSA doubling more than placebo 50. A study with pomegranate juice saw no change in PSA levels compared with a placebo drink 21. One study with a mixture of several plants reports a lower PSA increase, but that applies to the mixture, not to pomegranate alone 19.

Other Investigations

Reviews found lower inflammation markers with pomegranate than with placebo or control 37. In type 2 diabetes, seed powder lowered fasting blood glucose and long-term blood glucose more than placebo 28. In fatty liver, pomegranate extracts, including peel extract, reduced weight, waist circumference and fasting blood glucose more than placebo 3448. With pomegranate extract, beneficial gut bacteria increased, while the diversity of the gut flora remained unchanged 49.

4. How Was Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Taken in the Studies?

The studies investigated pomegranate juice, whole-fruit extract in capsules, peel and bark extract, seed oil, as well as powder from dried peel and fresh seed coats. The preparations ranged from drinks to mouthwashes and gels to capsules and fortified bread. Results apply in each case only to the form and preparation tested. They cannot be transferred to other forms.

5. Is Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Safe? Side Effects in the Studies

The studies report predominantly no or only mild adverse events. In a study with pomegranate extract, diarrhea occurred more frequently with the higher dose than with the lower one 20. In pregnant women with juice, the child's cardiac ultrasound in an examined subgroup showed no narrowing of the ductus arteriosus 25. For peel extracts, the long-term safety is not clarified 14.

All details with tables and sources: full expert page on Pomegranate (Punica granatum)