Pomegranate is a fruit with juicy ruby-red seeds. It contains many beneficial antioxidants in the same chemical class as green tea antioxidants.

Scientists believe that the numerous anti-cancer substances in pomegranate “team up” to attack cancer on many different fronts including interference with cancer cell growth, cancer cell invasion, and cancer blood supply. In addition to natural chemoprevention effects, pomegranate also has anti-inflammatory effects. Recent lab studies have shown that pomegranate forces breast cancer cells to undergo genetically controlled cell death, and reduces formation of breast cancer tumors by 87% [1]. Animal and human studies remain to be done.

The extracted seed oil, juice, and seeds are beneficial. I take a pomegranate extract pill for all of the potential benefits, and frequently enjoy pomegranate juice and the whole fruit. Research shows that pomegranate is a powerful protector of arteries that supply the heart [2]. Much more research remains to be done on pomegranate, but there is no scientific reason to delay adding it to our anti-breast cancer efforts.

References:

1. Mehta R, Lansky EP. Breast cancer chemopreventive properties of pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit extracts in a mouse mammary organ culture. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 2004; 13:345-348.

2. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, Nitecki S, Hoffman A, Dornfeld L, Volkova N, Presser D, Attias J, Liker H, Hayek T. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure, and LDL oxidation. Clinical Nutrition 2004; 23:423-433.

Get your FREE copy of FIGHT NOW by Aaron Tabor, MD and Lillie Shockney, RN with life-saving breast cancer risk reduction information. Choose to fight now against breast cancer. Beliefnet's goal is to give away 1,000,000 free breast cancer books during the month of October, so please share with your loved ones.