Pomegranate Prevents Coronary Artery Disease Progression: Fact Check

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Pomegranate found to prevent coronary artery disease progression.

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Clean Your Arteries With One Simple Fruit: Pomegranate.

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Fact Check:

Messages circulating online since many years have claimed that Pomegranate is a simple fruit to clean your arteries and is shown to prevent the progression of Coronary Artery Disease. Yes, it is a fact, but some related information is missing.

About Coronary artery disease

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), also known as atherosclerotic heart disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), or coronary heart disease is a condition when plaque is built up along the inner walls of the arteries of heart, narrowing down the arteries and reducing blood flow to the heart. It is the most common type of heart disease and the cause of heart attacks.

What’s in Pomegranate?

Laboratory tests have shown that Pomegranate has antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties that help protect cells from damage and may even lower inflammation in the body. High in vitamin C, Pomegranate is also a rich source of polyphenols, including tannins and anthocyanins that protect the arterial wall.

Benefits and Studies

Scientists have in fact tested the Pomegranate juice in Mice and found it combats hardening of the arteries (atherogenesis) and related diseases like heart attacks and strokes. Similar studies have also shown that pomegranate extract reduced aortic sinus and coronary artery atherosclerosis in mice. The scientists believe these effects of pomegranate extract are the result of reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in the vessel wall.

In humans, few small studies have found that pomegranate juice improved blood flow and kept arteries from becoming thick and stiff. Another study done in patients with coronary heart disease investigated the effect of daily consumption of pomegranate juice for 3 months. The study concluded that daily consumption of pomegranate juice may improve stress-induced myocardial ischemia in patients who have coronary heart disease, to allow more optimal blood flow to the heart muscle.

Other Health Benefits

In moderation, Pomegranate may help people with diabetes and those at risk for the disease. It helps in reducing after-meal blood sugar levels and more importantly, protects the cardiovascular system from diabetes-induced damage. Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. So, some people think regular consumption of the juice may help prevent cancer. There is no specific evidence of that though. It has variety of health benefits. That is why Pomegranate has been promoted as a “superfood” to relieve symptoms of many diseases. However, people under medication should be aware of possible interactions.

Interactions

Pomegranate juice can make certain medications less effective. It may lead to serious side effects when it interacts with certain prescription medications. They comprise blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, including captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec) and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), and others.

Conclusion

Pomegranate is certainly a healthy fruit that some studies have shown to prevent coronary artery disease progression. So, if you are suffering with related heart disease, it is a good idea to check with your doctor and make it a part of your regular diet.