Pomegranates didn't make my
Top 5 list of favorite fruits last week, primarily because they're expensive, difficult to open and quite messy. With that said, pomegranates are also rich in antioxidant phytonutrients, so when
POM Wonderful contacted me asking if I would be interested in trying their product, I was more than happy to do so.
Over the last decade POM Wonderful has provided $25 million to fund scientific research on pomegranates and the result is a substantial list of
references on the effects of pomegranates on heart health, prostate health, diabetes and other age related and inflammation conditions.
One of the more interesting pieces of information I found in browsing the research is that testing found POM to be a superior source of antioxidants, with more and better antioxidants than red wine, grape juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, green tea, vitamin C and vitamin E.
Alright, impressive research, but is it drinkable?
As always, the first thing I did was check the ingredients and sure enough it contains nothing but 100% pomegranate juice. An 8 oz bottle contains 150 calories and 37 carbs, of which 32 grams are sugar.
The taste to me was similar to cranberry juice, both sweet and tart at the same time. I personally liked the POM, but that of course is subjective.
My Two Cents: For those looking to lose weight, I recommend that you do not drink your calories. There are clear nutritional benefits to eating a piece of fruit versus drinking a fruit juice. For instance, an 8 oz bottle of POM Wonderful contains 0 fiber, while a half-cup of pomegranate seeds contains 5 grams of fiber (and significantly less sugar).
With that said, based on the clinical research, I
would recommend POM Wonderful to the men I've been working with who are hard-gainers, and would probably even recommend it as a substitute for grape juice for those using Creatine supplementation.
If you are on a higher calorie, mass building diet, this is a tasty drink with tons of potential health benefits. Enjoy!
Train hard; stay strong.
Peace.
Susan
Over the last decade POM Wonderful has provided $25 million to fund scientific research on pomegranates and the result is a substantial list of references on the effects of pomegranates on heart health, prostate health, diabetes and other age related and inflammation conditions.
One of the more interesting pieces of information I found in browsing the research is that testing found POM to be a superior source of antioxidants, with more and better antioxidants than red wine, grape juice, blueberry juice, cranberry juice, green tea, vitamin C and vitamin E.
Alright, impressive research, but is it drinkable?
As always, the first thing I did was check the ingredients and sure enough it contains nothing but 100% pomegranate juice. An 8 oz bottle contains 150 calories and 37 carbs, of which 32 grams are sugar.
The taste to me was similar to cranberry juice, both sweet and tart at the same time. I personally liked the POM, but that of course is subjective.
My Two Cents:
For those looking to lose weight, I recommend that you do not drink your calories. There are clear nutritional benefits to eating a piece of fruit versus drinking a fruit juice. For instance, an 8 oz bottle of POM Wonderful contains 0 fiber, while a half-cup of pomegranate seeds contains 5 grams of fiber (and significantly less sugar).
With that said, based on the clinical research, I would recommend POM Wonderful to the men I've been working with who are hard-gainers, and would probably even recommend it as a substitute for grape juice for those using Creatine supplementation.
If you are on a higher calorie, mass building diet, this is a tasty drink with tons of potential health benefits. Enjoy!
Train hard; stay strong.
Peace.
Susan