Pomegranate juice and antioxidant activity

The pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.), one of the oldest edible fruits that widely grows in many tropical and subtropical countries has been considering as a health-promoting food. Pomegranate can be consumed as fresh, fruit juice, fermented fruit juice, dried aril, frozen aril, minimally-processed aril, canned aril, jam, jelly, wine, vinegar, paste, fruit leather and in flavoring products.

Pomegranate juice has become more popular because of the attribution of important biological actions. Pomegranate fruit contains many phenolic compounds including flavonoids-anthocyanins, and other complex flavanoids and hydrolyzable tannins (punicalagin, gallic and ellagic acid), which are compounds with high antioxidant activity that may offer beneficial health properties. Around 92% of pomegranate antioxidant activity comes from hydrolysable tannins.

Pomegranate juice is an important source of anthocyanins, and the 3-glucosides and 3,5-diglucosides ofdelphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin have been reported. It also contains 1 g/L citric acid and only 7 mg/L ascorbic acid.

 Studies have shown that pomegranates demonstrate many health benefits, such as the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological damage in humans. These beneficial effects have been attributed to a high level of antioxidant activity.
 Pomegranate juice and antioxidant activity