[ 7 Great Health Benefits of Wheat Grass]

1. It's Full of Purifying Properties

Have you ever tried drinking a shot of wheatgrass? If not, then you might want to consider getting your hands on some, since wheatgrass contains a whole host of powerful health-related properties, which is why nutritionists around the world unsurprisingly refer to it as a superfood.

Here are 7 reasons why you should definitely make wheat grass an essential part of your diet:

Wheatgrass is full of amazing components that help to purify your body. Not only will it remove plenty of toxins from inside your body, but it'll also get rid of many carcinogenic agents and heavy metals from within your liver and bloodstream.

2. It speeds Up Your Thyroid.

If you're trying to lose weight, then you should definitely add some wheatgrass to your 

diet. This is because wheatgrass helps to stimulate your thyroid gland, which in turn boosts your body's base metabolic rate, thereby assisting in burning off extra calories.

3. It Lowers Cholesterol In High Fat Diets.

When you add wheatgrass to a high-fat diet, you'll not only end up reducing the amount 

of bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body but you'll also increase the amount of good
cholesterol (HDL) that your body so badly needs. As an added bonus, it also helps
to reduce your blood by dilating many of your body's blood pathways.

4. It Boots Your Immune System.

Wheatgrass contains more vitamin C than oranges as well as more vitamin A 
than carrots. This is why adding wheatgrass to your diet will result in a boost to 
your immunity, thereby reducing your likelihood of catching a cold, flu, or other 
more serious diseases, such as bronchitis.

5. It's a Natural Energizer

Taking a 2oz shot of wheatgrass before or after workingout will help keep exhaustion 
at bay,leaving you feeling satisfied and full of life. This is because wheatgrass has
the incredible ability to supply red blood cells to the entire body, keeping it
well-oxygenated.

6. It Helps to Purify the Air Around You

Thanks to wheatgrass' oxygen-promoting properties, it can not only help you from within 

your body but from the outside as well. Many people find that placing a tray of wheatgrass 

beside their bed helps them get a better night's sleep. You can also leave wheatgrass 

growing around your home or office to help rid your environment of any nasty toxins in 

the air, which helps to keep you healthier, happier, and more alert.

7. Its Benefits Are Still Being Discovered.

With every year that passes, scientists keep on discovering more and more 
benefits of this wonderful superfood. Apart from all of the benefits mentioned 
above, researchers now believe that wheatgrass could be a vital tool to help
the well-being of cancer sufferers, particularly when it comes to colon, liver,
stomach and gastrointestinal cancer cases.

Courtesy - Baba e-Mail.

[ 12 Health Benefits of Pomegranate.]

1 - Pomegranates Are Loaded With Important Nutrients.
Pomegranates are among the healthiest fruits on earth. They contain a range of beneficial plant compounds, unrivalled by other foods. Many studies have shown that they have incredible benefits for your body, and may lower the risk of all sorts of diseases. Here are 12 evidence-based health benefits of pomegranate.
The pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is a shrub that produces a red fruit (1). Categorized as a berry, the pomegranate fruit is about 5-12 cm (2-5 inches) in diameter. It is red, round and looks 
kind of like a red apple with a flower-shaped stem.The skin of 
the pomegranate is thick and inedible, but there are hundreds of
edible seeds called arils within.The arils are what people eat, 
either raw or processed into pomegranate juice. Pomegranates 
have an impressive nutrient profile: One cup of arils (174 grams) contains (2):

Fiber: 7 grams.

Protein: 3 grams. 
Vitamin C: 30% of the RDA. 
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDA. 
Folate: 16% of the RDA. 
Potassium: 12% of the RDA.

The pomegranate arils (seeds) are also very sweet, with 

one cup containing 24 grams of sugar, and 144 calories. 

However, where pomegranates really shine is in their 

content of powerful plant compounds, some of which have 

potent medicinal properties. 

BOTTOM LINE:

The pomegranate is a fruit that contains hundreds of edible seeds called arils. They are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals 
and bioactive plant compounds, but they also contain some sugar. 

2 - Pomegranates Contain Two Plant Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties.

There are two unique substances in pomegranates that are responsible for most of their health benefits.

Punicalagins.

Punicalagins are extremely powerful antioxidants found 

inthe juice and peel of a pomegranate.

They are so powerful that pomegranate juice has been 

found to have three times the antioxidant activity of 

red wine and green tea.


Pomegranate extract and powder is typically made from 

the peel,due to its high antioxidant and punicalagin

content.


Punicic Acid.


Punicic acid, also known as pomegranate seed oil, is the 

main fatty acid in the arils.


It is a type of conjugated linoleic acid with potent 

biological effects.


BOTTOM LINE:


Pomegranates contain punicalagins and punicic acid, unique 

substances that are responsible for most of their health 

benefits.


3 -  Pomegranate Has Impressive Anti-Inflammatory Effects.


Chronic inflammation is among the leading drivers of many 

killer diseases.This includes heart disease, cancer, type 

2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even obesity.Pomegranate

has potent anti-inflammatory properties, which are largely 

mediated by the antioxidant properties of the punicalagins.


Test tube studies have shown that it can reduce inflammatory

activity in the digestive tract, as well as in breast cancer

and colon cancer cells.


One study in diabetics found that 250 ml of pomegranate 

juice per day for 2 weeks lowered the inflammatory markers 

CRP and interleukin-6 by 32% and 30%, respectively.




BOTTOM LINE:

The punicalagins in pomegranate juice have been shown to 

reduce inflammation, one of the leading drivers of many 

killer diseases.





4. Pomegranate May Help Fight Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men.

Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can 

slow down cancer cell reproduction, and even induce

apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells.The PSA 

(prostate specific antigen) is a blood marker for prostate 

cancer.Men whose PSA levels double in a short period of 

time are at increased risk of death from prostate cancer.

Interestingly, a human study found that 237 ml (8 oz) of

pomegranate juice per day increased the PSA doubling time 

from 15 months to 54 months, which is huge.



A follow-up study found similar improvements using a type 

of pomegranate an extract called POMx.



BOTTOM LINE:

There is preliminary evidence that pomegranate juice can 

be useful in men with prostate cancer, potentially 

inhibiting cancer growth and lowering the risk of death.



5 -  Pomegranate May Also be Useful Against Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women.




Pomegranate extract has been shown to inhibit reproduction 

of breast cancer cells, and may even kill some of them.

However, this is currently limited to laboratory studies. 
More research is needed.



BOTTOM LINE:

Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can 

help fight breast cancer cells, but human studies are 

needed to confirm this.



6 - Pomegranate May Lower Blood Pressure.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the leading 

drivers of heart attacks and strokes.

In one study, people with high blood pressure had a significant reduction after consuming 150 ml (5 oz) of pomegranate juice daily for 2 weeks (15).

Other studies have found similar effects, especially for systolic blood pressure (the higher number in a blood pressure reading)

BOTTOM LINE:

Regular intake of pomegranate juice has been shown to lower blood pressure levels in as little as 2 weeks.

7 - Pomegranate May Help Fight Arthritis and Joint Pain.

Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries.

There are many different types, but most of them involve some form of inflammation in the joints. Given that the plant compounds in pomegranate have anti-inflammatory effects, it makes sense that they could help treat arthritis. Interestingly, laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can block enzymes that are known to damage joints in people with osteoarthritis.

It has also been shown to be beneficial for arthritis in mice, 
but there is very little evidence in humans so far.

BOTTOM LINE:

Studies in animals and isolated cells have shown that pomegranate extract may be beneficial against several forms of arthritis, but human research is needed.

8. Pomegranate Juice May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease.

Heart disease is currently the world's most common cause of premature death.

It is a complicated disease, driven by many different factors.

Punicic acid, the main fatty acid in pomegranate, may help protect against several steps in the heart disease process.

In a study in 51 people with high cholesterol and triglycerides, 
800 milligrams of pomegranate seed oil per day for 4 weeks was shown to significantly lower triglycerides and improve the triglyceride: HDL ratio.

Another study looked at the effects of pomegranate juice in people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. They noted significant reductions in LDL cholesterol, as well as other improvements.

Pomegranate juice has also been shown, in both animal and human studies, to protect the LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, one of the key steps in the pathway towards heart disease.

BOTTOM LINE: Several human studies have shown that pomegranate can have benefits against heart disease. It improves the cholesterol profile and protects LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage. 

9. Pomegranate Juice May Help Treat Erectile Dysfunction Oxidative damage can impair blood flow in all areas of the body, including erectile tissue. Pomegranate juice has been shown to be beneficial in increasing blood flow and erectile response in rabbits. In a study of 53 men with erectile dysfunction, pomegranate appeared to have some benefit, but it was not statistically significant. 

BOTTOM LINE: Pomegranate juice has been linked to reduced symptoms of erectile dysfunction, but more research is needed. 

10. Pomegranate Can Help Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections The plant compounds a pomegranate can help fight harmful microorganisms. For example, they have been shown to be beneficial for some types of bacteria, as well as the yeast Candida albicans. The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects may also be protective against infections and inflammation in the mouth. This includes conditions like gingivitis, periodontitis and denture stomatitis. Pomegranate has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, which may be useful against common diseases of the gums. 

11. Pomegranate May Help Improve Memory There is some evidence that pomegranate can improve memory. In one study in surgical patients, 2 grams of pomegranate extract prevented deficits in memory after the surgery. Another study in 28 elderly individuals with memory complaints found that 237 ml (8 oz) of pomegranate juice per day significantly improved markers of verbal and visual memory (37). There is also some evidence from studies in mice that pomegranate can help fight Alzheimer's disease.

BOTTOM LINE:

Some evidence shows that pomegranate can improve memory in the elderly and post-surgery, and studies in mice suggest that it can protect against Alzheimer's disease.

12 - Pomegranate May Improve Exercise Performance.

Pomegranate is rich in dietary nitrates, which have been shown to improve exercise performance.

In a study of 19 athletes running on a treadmill, 1 gram of pomegranate extract 30 minutes before exercise significantly enhanced blood flow.

This led to a delay in the onset of fatigue, and an increase in exercise efficiency.

More studies are needed, but it seems like pomegranate may be beneficial for physical performance, similar to beetroot juice.

13. Anything Else?

If you want to enjoy the health benefits outlined in the article, then you can either eat the pomegranate arils directly or drink pomegranate juice.

At the end of the day, pomegranates are among the healthiest foods on the planet.

They have wide-ranging benefits and may help reduce the risk of all sorts of serious diseases.

An evidence-based article from our experts at Authority Nutrition.

FEEDBACK: 
Written by Joe Leech, MS on August 18, 2016.