http://daily.stanford.edu
By Jillian Wong
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Ever heard a beverage referred to as intriguing? A super power? The newly popular POM Wonderful brand of pomegranate juice would have you believe its product is all this and more.
According to the company’s web site, the juice contains “more antioxidant power than any other drink.” But what does this mean? And more importantly, is it true of the increasingly pricey pomegranate juice, or is it nothing more than a passing craze?
Squeezed from the reddish-purple pomegranate fruit, the juice has been advertised as a tasty defender against disease, not to mention free radicals — unstable oxygen molecules that can damage cells and lead to a litany of major health problems: Alzheimer’s, heart disease, rapid aging, high cholesterol and some cancers.
The human body is exposed to free radicals, also known as oxidants, every day. Cigarette smoke, for example, releases concentrated amounts of free radicals that are then inhaled. On top of external sources, every cell in the body generates tens of thousands of oxidants every day.
A study conducted at UC-Davis found that pomegranate juice contains nearly three times as many antioxidants as other top free-radical blockers, including blueberry juice and red wine.
Pomegranates also contain tannins, anthocyanins and polyphenols, which fight disease, according to a study conducted at the Lipid Research Laboratory in Haifa, Israel.
Freshman Sommer Panage not only enjoys the health benefits of pomegranate juice, but also its taste.
“I drank pomegranate juice knowing that it contains vitamin C and potassium, and that it helps to prevent cancer,” she said. “I personally really loved the sweet taste of the juice, but I know that it’s one of those things where you might like it, but the person next to you doesn’t.”
But POM doesn’t have everyone running to the supermarket. Many remain skeptical of the juice’s trendy image.
For one thing, the pomegranate’s popularity has turned it into quite the delicacy. It’s no mystery why the ubiquitous advertisements never mention the price. According to the POM Wonderful website, the average price for a medium-sized bottle of the juice is $5, pretty steep compared to $1 bottles of Dasani water available in campus vending machines.
Students looking to integrate pomegranate juice into their diets without making a dent in their spending money might consider mixing the drink with tonic water for a tangy cocktail or orange juice for a breakfast boost.
But even though some advertisements brag that the beverage will fulfill one’s wildest antioxidant dreams, experts say it is far from being a nutritional silver bullet.
Vaden nutritionist Vivian Crisman, for one, doesn’t buy into the all too recent hype surrounding pomegranate juice.
“Yes, it is very high in antioxidants, and thus being touted as having significant health benefits,” she said. “But is it a miracle drink? No, I don’t view any one food as a miracle food. It can be part of a well-rounded diet, high in fruits and vegetables.”
Yet even if one wants to sport a cute bottle of POM around campus, he or she will have to find a ride to Safeway, since the drink is not distributed on campus.
This does not mean, however, that there aren’t many ways to meet one’s antioxidant quota during the day. Easily accessible sources — including gingko biloba, green tea, orange juice and vegetables with distinct colors like tomatoes, broccoli and corn — are all available in dorm dining halls, and might go a little easier on your wallet.
By Jillian Wong
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Ever heard a beverage referred to as intriguing? A super power? The newly popular POM Wonderful brand of pomegranate juice would have you believe its product is all this and more.
According to the company’s web site, the juice contains “more antioxidant power than any other drink.” But what does this mean? And more importantly, is it true of the increasingly pricey pomegranate juice, or is it nothing more than a passing craze?
Squeezed from the reddish-purple pomegranate fruit, the juice has been advertised as a tasty defender against disease, not to mention free radicals — unstable oxygen molecules that can damage cells and lead to a litany of major health problems: Alzheimer’s, heart disease, rapid aging, high cholesterol and some cancers.
The human body is exposed to free radicals, also known as oxidants, every day. Cigarette smoke, for example, releases concentrated amounts of free radicals that are then inhaled. On top of external sources, every cell in the body generates tens of thousands of oxidants every day.
A study conducted at UC-Davis found that pomegranate juice contains nearly three times as many antioxidants as other top free-radical blockers, including blueberry juice and red wine.
Pomegranates also contain tannins, anthocyanins and polyphenols, which fight disease, according to a study conducted at the Lipid Research Laboratory in Haifa, Israel.
Freshman Sommer Panage not only enjoys the health benefits of pomegranate juice, but also its taste.
“I drank pomegranate juice knowing that it contains vitamin C and potassium, and that it helps to prevent cancer,” she said. “I personally really loved the sweet taste of the juice, but I know that it’s one of those things where you might like it, but the person next to you doesn’t.”
But POM doesn’t have everyone running to the supermarket. Many remain skeptical of the juice’s trendy image.
For one thing, the pomegranate’s popularity has turned it into quite the delicacy. It’s no mystery why the ubiquitous advertisements never mention the price. According to the POM Wonderful website, the average price for a medium-sized bottle of the juice is $5, pretty steep compared to $1 bottles of Dasani water available in campus vending machines.
Students looking to integrate pomegranate juice into their diets without making a dent in their spending money might consider mixing the drink with tonic water for a tangy cocktail or orange juice for a breakfast boost.
But even though some advertisements brag that the beverage will fulfill one’s wildest antioxidant dreams, experts say it is far from being a nutritional silver bullet.
Vaden nutritionist Vivian Crisman, for one, doesn’t buy into the all too recent hype surrounding pomegranate juice.
“Yes, it is very high in antioxidants, and thus being touted as having significant health benefits,” she said. “But is it a miracle drink? No, I don’t view any one food as a miracle food. It can be part of a well-rounded diet, high in fruits and vegetables.”
Yet even if one wants to sport a cute bottle of POM around campus, he or she will have to find a ride to Safeway, since the drink is not distributed on campus.
This does not mean, however, that there aren’t many ways to meet one’s antioxidant quota during the day. Easily accessible sources — including gingko biloba, green tea, orange juice and vegetables with distinct colors like tomatoes, broccoli and corn — are all available in dorm dining halls, and might go a little easier on your wallet.
jagger - am Freitag, 21. Januar 2005, 11:16 - Rubrik: News Pomegranate
