Pomegranates Can Boost Heart Function by Up to 80%, New Study Finds

We are all aware that fruits are good for health. They are rich in essential nutrients, help in weight management, and boosts immunity, among other benefits. Fruits are also good for the heart. A recent study has yet again highlighted this fact. But this type, one specific fruit has been named. We are talking about pomegranates. As per a new study, pomegranates can help boost heart function by up to 80%. To know more about this finding, read ahead.

Pomegranate and Heart Health: What Is The New Study About?

A recent study, published in the journal Science Advances, discovered a natural compound associated with eating pomegranates can improve heart function by up to 80 percent. It notes that when you eat pomegranates, your body naturally produces a specific chemical called urolithin A during the process of digestion. The researchers found that this specific compound works like a molecular switch to activate a special protein that aids in heart muscle relaxation. This relaxing effect is crucial for a common and hard-to-treat type of heart failure, where the heart becomes too stiff to properly fill with blood between beats. 

In laboratory animal models suffering from this stiff-heart condition, treatment with urolithin A successfully showed overall heart function by as much as 80 percent, as compared to untreated models. The pomegranate-derived compound helps the stiff heart tissue relax more naturally, and also significantly reduces harmful scarring.

Moreover, urolithin A  stopped the dangerous enlargement of heart muscle cells. This allowed them to maintain their normal, healthy function. Scientists also examined this approach on engineered human heart tissue in the lab. There also, it showed the exact same relaxing benefits. 

Since urolithin A is already known to be safe for human consumption, these dramatic 80-percent improvement rates provide hope for developing new medical treatments. While human clinical trials are needed, this research highlights how the natural power of pomegranates can eventually change how we treat severe heart failure. 

pomegranate heart study 1

Benefits of Pomegranates For Heart Health

According to a 2013 study, published in the Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, here are some of the benefits of pomegranate for heart health:

• Pomegranates are rich in powerful antioxidants such as tannins and anthocyanins. They provide excellent protection for your cardiovascular system.
• One of the major benefits of pomegranate is that it protects LDL, also known as the ‘bad cholesterol’, from oxidising and causing damage.
• It also protects HDL, the ‘good cholesterol’, from oxidation, helping it function better in the body.
• Because the antioxidants in pomegranates are bound to the fruit's natural sugars, they are safe and beneficial even for diabetic patients.
• By stopping cholesterol from oxidising, pomegranates can significantly slow down the development of atherosclerosis, which is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
• The fruit is also good at lowering blood pressure; thereby protecting the heart.
• In various studies, patients who drank pomegranate juice showed improved elasticity in their arteries, as compared to those who did not.
• Pomegranate juice also helped minimise the progression of plaque build-up in patients who were already at moderate risk for coronary heart disease, especially the ones with high oxidative stress.

pomegranate heart study 2

The study concluded that the combined ability to reduce cholesterol damage, lower blood pressure, and shrink plaque makes pomegranate a heart-healthy fruit.

ALSO READ- What is The Best Time to Eat Fruits? Doctor Settles the Pre vs Post-Meal Debate

Conclusion

A new study yet again focuses on the ability of pomegranates to improve heart function. This fruit also protects against cholesterol damage, which solidifies its status as a powerful cardiovascular superfood. While more clinical trials are needed to understand its benefits in medical treatments, adding this antioxidant-rich fruit to your diet is undoubtedly a natural and effective way to support a healthy heart.