Truth is, everybody loves sugar!
My stomach started groaning as our car rounded the corner closer to our destination, four hours later. I felt as though my stomach was going to eat itself and I was so excited to eat a hearty meal. My dear friend was letting us tag along as she went home for the weekend. We were excited to meet her parents, but even more excited to eat. Sitting up at the counter of their island I waited patiently as her mother walked over to their large fridge. To my disappointment and complete surprise, the fridge was filled head to toe… with veggies. Mouth dropping open I immediately became uncomfortable. There were no frozen piszas, no hamburger patties, no noodles, no… meat!
My friend started laughing as she noticed my expression. She told me how her parents were extremely healthy and non-meat eaters. Pulling out a large contraption she asked me to say hello to their “juicer”. Still in shock I looked at the giant machine in wonder, completely unsure of what it was. A few minutes later I watched as veggie after veggie, fruit after fruit, was placed inside this machine, blended, and pouring its juice into glasses for each of us. For my drink, my friend took a large ripe pomegranate, lemon, some sort of grass, carrot, and apple. She claimed this concoction would help my body.
Now, I can’t say I had the most amazing experience. Because my body wasn’t used to this clean of a lifestyle, I was sick, tired, and starving. It wasn’t until the next day that I felt as if I had done a serious detox… I suppose in a few ways I did! But this was no joke. The juice… I wanted another! I asked for more pomegranate as it had been deliciously sweet! I then wanted to know exactly what I was getting myself into and decided to research it!
So what are the benefits?
According to Healthline.com,
“Pomegranates are among the healthiest fruits on Earth”.
These fruits are of course naturally sweet, but not only taste good, they contain high quantities of fiber, bioactive compounds of numerous plants, and different minerals that are all good for your body. Because it is potent in anti-inflammatory properties, such as punicic acid, pomegranates help to lower blood pressure and are also said to aid in heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. All of this was great news to me as I felt as if my body was dying from my unhealthy diet finally having an abundance of veggies and fruits hit its system.
Various places offer supplements specifically because pomegranate is ridiculously good for you, and very few people know that or eat it! Enzymedica and pure encapsulations are two great supplements for pomegranate juice! They also taste amazing since pomegranates are so naturally sweet. Webmd.com also talks about how the tree and fruit of pomegranate have been used for various medicines since it is so beneficial to the human body.
Many researchers became interested in how this fruit works because of the immense healing properties it contains. Researchers Ephraim P.Lansky and Robert A.Newman decided to create a scholarly article on its results. Titled Journal of Ethnopharmacology, these scholars helped prove how effective the pomegranate is, stating,
“The pomegranate tree, Punica granatum, especially its fruit, possesses a vast ethnomedical history and represents a phytochemical reservoir of heuristic medicinal value”.
Personally, this was enough to buy me over. I now love having some juices here and there during my week or the month, to help detox my body, and keep my immune system healthy and fighting.
I know that a Healthy Me, Is A Happy Me.
