Pomegranate is a drought-tolerant very nutritious fruit. It is a berry fruit, is rich in many phytochemicals. Every part of the pomegranate fruit has different benefits. In this article, we are focusing on the pomegranate peel. How many times you throw away the peel after just eating the fruit?? maybe every time. But do you know that this peel has even more health benefits? Now, let’s look into the facts.
The latest researches reveal that pomegranate peel can be a fruit part of many health benefits. It can reduce risk factors for diseases such as hypoglycemia, high blood pressure level, and cholesterol. In addition to that, it has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects.[1][2]
What are the Phytochemicals in pomegranate peel??
Pomegranate is a rich source of bioactive compounds. However, the pomegranate peel is the richest part of the fruit in terms of phytochemicals. Most of these bioactive compounds available are powerful antioxidants. They are,
- Phenolics
- Flavonoids
- Tannins
- Anthocyanins etc.
In addition to these, the peel contains many minerals with functional benefits. Sodium, Nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium are some highly available minerals with those benefits.
The flavonoids present in the peel include quercetin and kaempferol. While the phenolics acids include ellagic acid, p-coumaric acid,caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid. In addition to that, it contains anthocyanins and anthocyanidins(pelargonidin, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin, and delphinidin) too.
Peel is rich in polyphenols which gives many desirable antioxidant properties to your body. Among them, Ellagitannins are the most important phenolic compound in peel which gives the anti-oxidant properties. In addition to that, it contains all the amino acids including essential amino acids, specifically proline, leucine, lysine methionine, cysteine, and valine. The only lacking amino acid is tryptophan.
However, the most available compounds in this peel are polyphenolics and ellagitannins. You can use different alcoholic solutions to extract the phytochemical compounds in Pomegranate.[3][4]
The scientists investigate the different uses of pomegranate peel on health. Due to its rich phytochemical profile, you can use it against many diseases. Now let’s have a look at Its antioxidant properties.
What about the antioxidant activity of Pomegranate peel??
Oxidation is one of the dominant causes of non-communicable disease conditions in your body. It can destroy the nutrition quality of your food. Definitely that will result in plenty of ailments in your body. This antioxidant property is the major clue for preventing cardiac disorders ( heart diseases), Inflammation conditions, etc.
Similarly, this antioxidant property is crucial for preventing cancer and scavenging free radicals too. The key compound responsible for super antioxidant activity in the peel is ellagitannins. What are the diseases you can prevent?
How pomegranate peel Protects you from cancer??
Pomegranate peel seems to have healthy effects to prevent cancer due to the many antioxidant properties it possesses. Well, let’s see how pomegranate can prevent cancer. There is a number of cancer types that pomegranate can prevent. [8] They are;
- Prostate cancer
- Skin cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colon cancer
- Lung cancer
Use of herbal extract is a growing trend against cancer now. People like to go for them because of their safety and low cost.
1. Pomegranate peel For prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a very common cancer type among males. Statistics reveal that, As a proportion to different types of cancers about 20% of the men subject to this cancer. Moreover, Scientists consider it one of the most lethal types of cancers.
What are the main compounds responsible for cancer prevention?? punicalagin, ellagic acid, and gallic acid are the most significant compounds. These phytochemicals in the peel extract can regulate certain proteins that can induce apoptosis and downregulate the proteins that prevent apoptosis. In addition that it can reduce the transmembrane potential of mitochondria. This is a far more significant factor in avoiding cancer.
According to the results of Some scientific studies on animals suggest that pomegranate peel extracts can suppress the viability of the cell lines of prostate cancer. Therefore this peel extract can be a good solution in preventing cancer.[5]
2. Pomegranate peel For Breast cancer
How pomegranate peel can prevent breast cancer? Well, certain studies suggest that Peel extracts together with punicalagin can inhibit breast cancer cell lines. This is done by preventing the proliferation of cancer cells. Punicalagin can induce apoptosis to prevent cancer cell growth.
However, scientists found that organic extracts like ethanol and methanol are best in preventing proliferation. But pomegranate juice has more antioxidants, and therefore high cancer prevention potential. So it’s better to use Juice extracts and peel extracts with genistein to get the best results!![5][6]
3. For lung cancer
How could you prevent lung cancer with pomegranate peel !! let’s see. Lung cancer is the most causative disease for deaths in cancer patients around the world. To prevent lung cancer pomegranate leaf extracts have the best effects. But the peel extracts also have significant potential on that. [1]
Similar to the above chapter, The peel has more phytochemical compounds including punicalagin. Therefore it can prevent the proliferation of cancer cell lines of the lung too.
4. Pomegranate peel for a nice skin??
Solar radiations cause many ailments such as skin cancer, aging, and burns in your skin. pomegranate peel extract has the ability to heal them. Of course, you know why Clearly Because of its natural bioactive compound profile.
These compounds can prevent oxidative reactions on your skin. Furthermore, they can destroy the infection-causing microbes in your skin. Let’s talk about that later. Surely these phytochemicals will heal the pimples, rashes, and acne, etc. Using these peels You can prepare home remedies easily.
- First, remove the peels
- Then Sundry them or use whatever method you like to dry them
- Powder the dry peels
- Now it’s ready!!
Now You can either apply them with yogurt or any other milk. Or else use water or rose water. Doing this regularly twice a week will help your skin to be healthy and pretty.
Moreover, you can use the peels as a moisturizer too. Because It will help to keep the moisture in your skin trapped. Ellagic acid is very important for that. [7]
5. Protect you from microbial infections
When considering the antimicrobial properties, you can use pomegranate extracts as natural inhibitors of pathogens like Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. And also against fungi and bacteria.[8]
Peel has the highest anti-microbial properties, Compared to whole fruit. Ellagitannins and gallic acid are the most dominant compounds responsible for this effect. As the Pomegranate peel is rich with these compounds, you can easily use the peel extracts against microbes. The peel extract of methanol is better for this.
6. to improve your heart health
The oxidation of Low-density lipids and cholesterol (Unhealthy fats) are the major reasons for heart ailments in your body. So the intake of natural extracts of antioxidants as the treatments is an appropriate solution. Clearly, The peel extract is rich with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. That means it can prevent inflammation and damage to arterial walls.
Some scientists did animal studies on extracts of peel for heart health. They included nearly 15% of the diet with the peel. However, as the end results, they found that the inclusion of peel can change several factors.
- Reduce the harmful cholesterol level
- Decrease the LDL levels
- Improve the HDL levels
As an overall effect, this is very healthy for the heart. Therefore we can conclude that peel extract is a good solution for your heart health. [9][10]
7. Pomegranate peel for your gut health
Scientists say that pomegranate peel has a positive effect on gut microflora. That means the peel extract can prevent the ailments associated with the colon. Peel is richer with polyphenols than the palatable part. The compounds in the peel can affect and destroy harmful microbes in the gut. Therefore on a treatment basis, peel extracts are a better solution.[11]
8. Improves your bone health
How pomegranate peels help the bones??
The phytochemicals like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents in the peel can make a favorable microenvironment around the bones. That will prevent bones from inflammation and oxidation. Thereby it will help in preventing osteoporosis.
Furthermore, Antioxidants in pomegranate peel hydrolyze in the intestine by gut microflora. They release punicalagin that facilitates the growth of certain bacteria types. These bacteria will help to increase the absorption of calcium in your body. In that case, it is very beneficial for your health.[13]
9. Helps to prevent Aging
Free radicals can oxidize and causes your skin to wrinkle and age quickly. But the antioxidants in pomegranate peel can scavenge those free radicals and help to keep your skin pretty. It helps the regeneration of skin cells. Therefore you can prevent wrinkles and aging by consumption of pomegranate with including peels. Or else you can apply it as a face mask. [12]
Because Nearly 1/3rd of the fruit contains the peel. So easily you can include into your diet or make a face pack.
How pomegranate peel helps for hair growth??
Hair is an essential part of your beauty. So how can you improve that with pomegranate peels?? Antioxidants in the peel can detoxify the scalp. So that your hair loss is prevented. This is done by strengthening the hair follicles. That will improve your hair growth.
