News July
Pomegranate Juice Slows Cancer, Flies off Shelves
Radiation or that little blue pill? Who needs 'em? Pomegranate
juice is the new wonder drug, according to a study by researchers
with the Jonsson Cancer Center at UCLA.
The study, funded by juice maker POM Wonderful, found that a daily
dose of pomegranate juice slowed the growth of prostate cancer antigens,
or PSA, by a factor of nearly four, and may improve men's
sexual health.
"We're hoping we may be able to prevent or delay the need
for other therapies such as hormone treatment or chemotherapy,"
said Dr. Allan Pantuck, "both of which bring with them harmful
side effects."
Which may explain why shoppers looking for pure pomegranate juice
at the Morrissey Boulevard Safeway on Thursday were out of luck.
The cupboard was bare.
"We can't keep the 100 percent pom on the shelf," produce
clerk Dana Morrison said. "There's a couple of blends, but
the 100 percent sells really well."
And the success of the POM Wonderful juice brand is spawning a
mini-industry. There's a wide variety of pomegranate juice blends
on sale at the downtown New Leaf grocery store, with the trendy
fruit mixed with everything from acai to blueberries. The store
will soon feature a new pomegranate granola.
"A lot of companies are jumping on the bandwagon," New
Leaf buyer Eryn Supple said. "Blueberry was kind of the big
thing, now pomegranate is taking its place."
Is it ever. Two weeks ago, Starbucks introduced the pomegranate
frappuccino, officially ushering the fruit into the mainstream.
The concoction has been a big seller, even as it's raised concerns
among pomegranate purists.
"I think a lot of people don't know what it really tastes
like," said Anna Derivi, who's got a pint-a-day habit. "I
think it's an old-world kind of food."
The UCLA study did not include a placebo control group so researchers
don't know if the men in the study would have done as well without
the juice. Such a study is under way and should be finished in about
two years.
Pantuck said doctors don't yet know exactly why the juice seems
to slow prostate cancer, but the working theory is that the fruit
is high in polyphenols, which are known to fight cancer.
And the health benefits don't stop there. The UCLA study also noticed
that a daily diet of pomegranate juice increases a man's supply
of nitric oxide, mimicking one of the key effects of Generic
Viagra. Those results echo another study that found that pomegranate
juice improved erectile function in rabbits.
"All of them have the risk of erectile
dysfunction," Pantuck said of prostate cancer treatments.
"In a way, a treatment that stabilizes your PSA and increases
your nitric oxide may have two benefits."
And the health claims are far from the boldest ever attributed
to the juicy red fruit. In Greek mythology, six illicitly eaten
seeds confined Persephone to the underworld and caused the changing
of the seasons. No wonder a half-gallon goes for 13 bucks.
"It is a small luxury," Derivi said.
Source http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/
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