The pomegranate is one of the top foods for men’s health, and it is particularly beneficial for prostate and heart health. Filled with antioxidants, this fruit can help improve your sex life, properly balance your cholesterol levels and help your heart, prostate and brain health, among its many other benefits. It is an excellent food for aging men and is considered one of the best foods for mature men.
The tangy, sweet pomegranate is tasty as a snack, or it can be sprinkled on salads and added to other dishes. You can get pomegranate juice year-round when fresh fruit is not available.
If you find it challenging to cut through the fruit’s thick leathery rind, you can buy just the arils in stores. There are even pomegranate supplements if you just want the nutritional benefits of pomegranate but don’t want to consume the sugar that comes with the juice. However you decide to consume it, just find a way to get some of this amazing fruit, which is one of the top foods for men’s health, into your diet.
Here are 10 different pomegranate health benefits for men:
- Helps erectile dysfunction
There is scientific evidence behind the reason pomegranates are a symbol of fertility. One study found that men who had mild to moderate erectile dysfunction experienced improvement after drinking pomegranate juice. Other studies on animals found the antioxidants in pomegranates improves erectile function over long-term use.
- Fights prostate and lung cancer
Many studies have shown that pomegranate extracts have the ability to slow the reproduction of prostate cancer cells and cause the cells to commit a type of cellular suicide, a process called apoptosis. The ellagitannins in pomegranates fight the growth of new blood vessels necessary for nourishing prostate cancer tumors. If you are concerned about your prostate health, you may also consider a top prostate supplement formulation. Pomegranates may also inhibit the development of lung cancer.
- Slows PSA doubling
If you are watching your PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level, you may be interested in the benefits of pomegranates. In studies, pomegranate juice has shown to help PSA levels. Researchers gave men with prostate cancer who were treated with radiation or surgery but had climbing PSA levels 8 ounces of pomegranate juice each day. Before drinking the juice, the men’s average PSA level doubled every 15 months. By the end of the study, it was taking 54 months for the PSA level to double. Intake of the juice was also associated with a 17 percent increase in cancer cell apoptosis, as well as a 12 percent decline in the spread of cancer cells.
- Helps arthritis patients
Studies on pomegranates have shown benefits for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. A 2012 study demonstrated that pomegranate juice helps to prevent damage to the cartilage in knee joints of animals with osteoarthritis. For rheumatoid arthritis patients, pomegranate extract reduces inflammation and joint damage. Another study found that the extract of pomegranate may help rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases by suppressing mast cells and basophils.
- Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
Adults with high blood pressure who drink 1.7 ounces of pomegranate juice every day can lower their systolic blood pressure by up to 5 percent. Several studies also show that pomegranate juice is useful in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and for preventing the buildup of plaque in arteries.
- Improves heart health
In addition to pomegranate’s benefits in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, many studies show other ways this fruit is good for your heart. Both pomegranate juice and extract have the ability to inhibit platelet activity, which can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Patients with coronary heart disease were able to improve stress-induced myocardial ischemia by drinking pomegranate juice every day for three months.
- Improves recovery from exercise
Drink pomegranate juice after your workouts. Research at the University of Texas at Austin shows that taking supplements of ellagitannins from pomegranate extract can significantly improve isometric strength within two to three days of strenuous workouts.
- Helps brain health
The polyphenols in pomegranate juice just might offer some protection from Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at Loma Linda University. They fed sugar water to one group of mice and pomegranate juice to another. The mice that drank pomegranate juice learned tasks more quickly than the sugar water group and had about 50 percent less accumulation of a protein believed to play a major role in developing Alzheimer’s disease.
- Supports immunity
Experts say that daily consumption of pomegranate extracts or juice can support your immune system’s antioxidants, antimalarial and antimicrobial capacities.
- Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes
Pomegranate seed oil is associated with improving insulin sensitivity, according to a study on animals that suggests that it could reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also improve health for diabetic patients by reducing their risk for developing atherosclerosis.
Whether you prefer to eat it fresh, drink its juice or take a supplement, the pomegranate is a superfood that can help support your overall health. In addition to the 10 specific health benefits that pomegranate provides men, the fruit is also full of vitamins C, E and K, as well as fiber, potassium, folate and niacin.
