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/