Is pomegranate a "Chinese magical fruit" that can improve beauty and fight cancer? Nutrition experts: It is not recommended for this type of people to eat too much

There are so many seasonal fruits in autumn, but the most delicious one has to be pomegranate!

Some pomegranates are sweet and sour, while others are pure and juicy. Especially the soft-seeded pomegranates, which are so fragrant! You can't stop eating them. The mature pomegranates are bright red in appearance. Because of their bright color and plump seeds, they are often used as festive fruits. Now is the season for eating pomegranates. One large pomegranate a day is really thirst-quenching and delicious. What are the benefits of eating pomegranates? How should friends with high blood sugar eat pomegranates? In this article, we will talk about pomegranates.

Pomegranate Nutrition and Health Benefits

Pomegranate is native to Iran, Afghanistan and other countries along the Mediterranean coast. It was introduced to China via the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty and has a cultivation history of more than 2,000 years.

Image source: pixabay

Some people say: "Pomegranate is known as the 'Chinese magical fruit', so it must be very nutritious, right?"

In fact, most of the nutrients in pomegranates are average. Apart from its good hydrating effect, only two nutrients are outstanding. Dietary fiber: The insoluble dietary fiber content of pomegranates is 4.9g/100g, [1] which is quite high among fruits and nearly three times that of apples. It can promote gastrointestinal mechanical movement, help defecation, prevent constipation, and promote intestinal health.

Mineral potassium: The potassium content of pomegranate is 231mg/100g, [1] which is comparable to the potassium content of banana, a fruit that is known to replenish potassium. Adequate potassium intake helps stabilize blood pressure, which is quite friendly for friends who need to control blood pressure. In addition to the above two nutrients, pomegranate can also provide us with some antioxidant ingredients, including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechins and coumaric acid. [2] Taking more phenolic substances can help us resist oxidation and inflammation, but don't expect it to beautify or fight cancer.

As for the vitamin C in pomegranates, the content is not very high. Data from the Chinese Food Composition Table shows that the vitamin C content in pomegranates is only 8mg/100g, which is the same as the vitamin C content in bananas. Although it is nearly 3 times that of apples, it is far behind oranges and kiwis! It is only about 1/8 of that of kiwis. However, there are documents showing that the vitamin C content of Kashgar pomegranate pulp can reach 681.9mg/100g, and the vitamin C content of Hotan pomegranates and Shaanxi pomegranates is also around 600mg/100g. [3] The vitamin C content of Heyin soft-seed pomegranates is also relatively high, at 408.5mg/100g. [4] This may be due to differences between different varieties. The data varies greatly and needs further verification.

Image source: Reference [3]

Soft-seeded pomegranate is good

Many pomegranates have seeds, and you have to spit out the seeds while eating. It's really troublesome! Don't worry, you can choose soft-seeded pomegranates. Soft-seeded pomegranates are popular because their seeds are soft and edible. In particular, Tunisian soft-seeded pomegranates are one of the most popular soft-seeded pomegranate varieties in the Chinese market. They were introduced to my country from Tunisia in 1986 and are 2 to 4 times more expensive than ordinary pomegranate varieties. There are many places where Tunisian soft-seeded pomegranates are produced in my country. Researchers compared Tunisian soft-seeded pomegranates from 13 places and found that the Tunisian soft-seeded pomegranates from Jianshui, Yunnan have the highest soluble sugar content, the largest sugar-acid ratio, the sweetest taste, and the largest fruit. The single fruit can weigh up to 880 grams; the soft-seeded pomegranates from Zhengzhou, Henan have the thinnest peel. [5] Can people with high blood sugar eat pomegranates?

The sugar content of pomegranates is quite high, at 13.7%,[6] which is slightly higher than the total sugar content of bananas,[7] and some varieties of pomegranates have even higher sugar content.

The main sugar components of pomegranate fruit are sucrose, glucose, fructose and sorbitol. Glucose and fructose have the highest content, with fructose accounting for 9.18% to 50.67% of the total sugar, and glucose accounting for 43.84% to 48.36% of the total sugar. Sucrose and sorbitol are only small amounts. [8]

Although the metabolism of fructose has little effect on blood sugar, the metabolism of glucose has a relatively large impact on blood sugar. People with high blood sugar and diabetes should eat less. If you like, you can eat 100 grams each in the morning and afternoon as a snack, and pair it with a few nuts to help stabilize blood sugar.

A small bowl of soft-seeded pomegranate weighs about 200 grams. Image source: Photo by the author

It is important to note that you should not drink pomegranate juice in large quantities to avoid a spike in blood sugar. Data show that the glycemic load (GL) of pomegranate juice is 21. [9] GL>10 means that it has a greater impact on blood sugar. Pomegranate is the most delicious fruit in autumn. A large spoonful of pomegranate is sweet and delicious, and full of juice! Friends who like to eat pomegranates should make arrangements now, don’t miss the opportunity!

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[2] Yang Hongpeng, Li Xi, Xu Tong, et al. Determination of antioxidant components in pomegranate fruit and peel[J]. Chinese Food and Nutrition, 2021, 27(09): 39-41.

[3] Wang Ping, Liang Jiao, Li Shugang. Study on the difference of nutritional components of pomegranate from different origins[J]. Food Industry, 2017, 38(04): 297-301.

[4] Yan Shenghui, Li Xingkui, Gao Yuhong. Analysis on the nutritional value of Heyin soft-seeded pomegranate[J]. Hubei Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 54(24): 6376-6378+6382.

[5] Liu Chunyan, Qin Gaihua, Li Jiyu, et al. Fruit quality evaluation of ‘Tunisian soft seed’ pomegranate and analysis of main evaluation factors [C]//Pomegranate Branch of Chinese Society of Horticulture. Research progress of Chinese pomegranate (III) - Proceedings of the 3rd Member Representative Conference of Pomegranate Branch of Chinese Society of Horticulture and the 1st China Sihong Soft Seed Pomegranate Summit Forum and the Preparatory Meeting of the National Pomegranate Industry Science and Technology Innovation Alliance. China Forestry Publishing House, 2018: 7.

[6] United States Department of Agriculture

[7] Ibid.

[8] Qin Gaihua, Huang Wenjiang, Zhao Jianrong, et al. Sugar and acid composition and flavor characteristics of pomegranate fruit[J]. Journal of Tropical Crops, 2011, 32(11): 2148-2151.

[9] Sydney University Glycemic Index Study

Author: Xue Qingxin, member of Chinese Nutrition Society, registered nutritionist, health manager, public nutritionist

Reviewer: Zhang Na, Associate Researcher, Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University School of Public Health