Disclaimer: This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment.  

A healthy blood pressure is vital for maintaining a healthy heart as well as optimal health. Hypertension or high blood pressure has been found one of the most common diseases in primary care. Pomegranate is rich in polyphenols with exceptional antioxidant properties. It has been claimed to offer a wide variety of health benefits ranging from heart health to urinary health to sports endurance. But is there any link between pomegranate and blood pressure? Let’s find it out together. 

In this article, we’ll explore the link between pomegranate and blood pressure according to research findings. But before we get started with how pomegranate can help with blood pressure, it’s important to understand the basics of high blood pressure and its potential risks a little bit more. So, let's get started.

Table of contents 

• Understanding high blood pressure and its potential risks
• What is a pomegranate? 
• Nutritional and medicinal value of pomegranate
• Pomegranate and blood pressure 
• How to use pomegranate supplements
• Final words 

Understanding high blood pressure and its potential risks

High blood pressure or also otherwise known as hypertension refers to the pressure of blood in the walls of arteries that is higher than usual. In general, blood pressure changes with physical activities throughout the day. When a person's blood pressure stays consistently above normal ranges, he or she could be diagnosed with high blood pressure or hypertension.  

High blood pressure is an alarming concern nowadays, increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease, two major causes of death in both men and women throughout the world. 

In addition, high blood can also increase the risk of kidney problems, brain and memory problems, eye problems, and metabolic syndrome, just to name a few. The higher the levels of blood pressure, the more risk a person has to develop other health problems. 

High blood pressure has no symptoms even at dangerous levels. A few people hardly show up any symptoms, such as:

 

• Morning headaches 
• Vision changes 
• Nosebleeds 
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Buzzing in the ears

In severe hypertension, some people may also experience:

• Chest pain 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Muscle tremors 
• Fatigue 
• Confusion 
• Anxiety 

But these symptoms are usually rare and uncommon. And measuring blood pressure is the easiest way to determine whether a person has high blood pressure or is at risk of it. However, the good news is that blood pressure can be easily managed and so the risk of serious health issues also can be lowered by simply improving lifestyle choices and developing healthy food habits. 

 

What is a pomegranate?

Pomegranate is a red, round, sweet, tart fruit botanically known as Punica granatum L. It’s densely packed with hundreds of crunchy, juicy seeds that are fondly called arils. Though it’s best known for the vibrant juices people often used as delicious drinks, pomegranate has historically been claimed to have diverse medicinal properties that can help the human body in many different ways. Let’s have a bit look at its nutritional and medicinal value.   

Nutritional and medicinal value of pomegranate

Arils, the small red seeds inside the fruits are filled with juices. They are low in fat and calories but high in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers along with some protein. 

Pomegranate contains considerable amounts of: 

• Calcium 
• Iron 
• manganese
• Magnesium 
• Potassium 
• Phosphorus
• Vitamin B6 
• Vitamin B9 or folate
• Vitamin C 
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K 

In addition, pomegranate is rich in antioxidants, especially polyphenols, including: 

• Ellagitannins (ETs)
• Anthocyanins
• Flavonols
• Punicic acid 
• Gallic acid 
• Ellagic acid 

In addition to exceptional antioxidant properties, pomegranate has been found to possess several other pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-atherosclerotic, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties as well as others.  

Pomegranate and blood pressure 

There’s a close link between the effects of pomegranate and blood pressure in the body. Multiple studies have shown that pomegranate can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It’s assumed that pomegranate reduces blood pressure by lowering the ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme), a protein that plays a key role in regulating blood pressure by regulating the size of arteries. 

A 2017 review report published in the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine summarized that pomegranate has the capacity to reduce systolic and diastolic pressure by reducing ACE in the body. This review also showed that there are no reported adverse effects associated with the intake of pomegranate.   

How to use pomegranate supplements 

The recommended dosage of pomegranate supplements is individual and variable depending on personal health aims and needs. Therefore, it’s best to consult with a natural medicine provider to find out what dose would be the best for your specific condition. 

However, clinicians often recommend a dose range of 600 mg to 1800 mg of standardized pomegranate extract per day in two to three divided doses throughout the day. Supplements made from pomegranate extract are more potent and effective than juices. Therefore, when considering supplements, starting with lower doses is often recommended. 

Final words 

Pomegranate is a juicy tart fruit with diverse health potentials ranging from heart health to brain health to disease prevention. The consumption of pomegranate has been found highly effective in reducing blood pressure. It can help reduce ACE which is the key regulator of blood pressure in the body and thus, can help reduce both systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure. This way, pomegranate can hugely help improve cardiovascular health and prevent serious diseases such as heart attack and stroke.

Here you can see Vorst’s pure and natural Pomegranate 3000 mg Raw Equivalent Vegan Capsules 

Resources:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27748197/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21457902/
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043661816307848
4. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/09/09/just-how-healthy-are-pomegranates#:~:text=A%202017%20review%20published%20in,pomegranate%20juice%20at%20different%20amounts.
5. https://www.resperate.com/blog/hypertension/diet/healthy-foods/drinking-pomegranate-juice-blood-pressure
6. https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/news/views/does-a-pomegranate-a-day-keep-your-blood-pressure-at-bay
7. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-pomegranates
8. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318385
9. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-pomegranate
10. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension#:~:text=When%20symptoms%20do%20occur%2C%20they,chest%20pain%2C%20and%20muscle%20tremors.
11. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410