Does pomegranate juice increase or decrease blood pressure? Why is pomegranate strongly recommended to be included in the diet of people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system? The fruits of the pomegranate tree have been used in human nutrition since ancient times. They have a pleasant sweet and sour taste, but most importantly, they contain many vitamins, microelements, and biologically active substances, thanks to which they can bring great benefits to the body. We’ll talk about exactly what effect pomegranate juice has on blood pressure in this article.
Pomegranate juice, in addition to affecting blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and prevents iron deficiency anemia.
How does pomegranate affect blood pressure?
Pomegranate is a plant of the Derbennikov family. It has fruits that are consumed in their natural form, added to some dishes and their juice used. The plant's homeland is Western Asia, where the fruits have been eaten since ancient times. Today the plant is grown in some areas of Africa, the Caucasus, Asia and the Mediterranean. Pomegranate fruits are rich in vitamin C, tannins, and sugars.
Pomegranate fruits stabilize blood pressure
The fact that pomegranate and its juice can affect blood pressure has been known for a long time. This is due to some of its substances that can reduce blood pressure. These include:
- Polyphenols that make up pomegranate pulp have the ability to destroy fats that enter the human body. They prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques on blood vessels. Accordingly, blood circulates more freely in healthy veins and arteries, and blood pressure is normal.
- Pomegranate fruits have a diuretic effect, which allows you to promptly remove excess fluid from the body, while reducing the volume of blood in the vessels. This allows the pressure to remain within normal limits.
- Pomegranate has the property of blocking the action of an enzyme that often causes spasms in blood vessels. As a result, the functioning of the cardiac organ and the vascular system as a whole improves.
Warning! All these properties can combat a slight increase in pressure. Too high indicators can be corrected with medications, and pomegranate will be useful as a preventive measure.
How does pomegranate juice affect blood pressure?
Pomegranate contains many active substances. Among them are a complex of vitamins B, E, ascorbic acid, rutin, which affects the strength and elasticity of blood vessels. Among the minerals included in the juice are iron, potassium, magnesium, selenium, and sodium. All of them significantly strengthen the heart and are of great importance for other hematopoietic organs. What is very unusual about pomegranates is that not only the pulp of the fruit has beneficial properties, but also the inside of the peel. All these parts of the pomegranate contain anthocyanins, which give the fruit a red tint, and allagotinin. These substances reduce the impact of free radicals that cause cancer.
It is worth noting that only natural freshly squeezed juice affects blood pressure.
Does pomegranate juice raise blood pressure?
Pomegranate pulp helps with cardiovascular diseases.
Those who take pomegranate for anemia should be careful. They note that with low blood pressure, it is better to reduce consumption. Many people adapt to taking juice and mix it with a tablespoon of cognac. This mixture has a gentle effect on the blood vessels, first expanding them and then gradually narrowing them.
Does pomegranate juice reduce blood pressure?
Pomegranate juice can actually lower your blood pressure a little. However, it should be taken daily. On average, it lowers blood pressure by approximately 10-20 units. Moreover, pomegranate is especially valued for its gradual, smooth decrease in pressure.
How to brew pomegranate tea from Turkey
The most popular version of pomegranate tea from Turkey is its instant powder form, which contains natural ingredients. To prepare 1 serving of the drink, you only need 1 tsp. mixtures and hot water (1 tbsp.).
This powdered mixture consists of instant black tea, dried and ground pomegranate seeds (grains) and, in some cases, also its skin or partitions. As a rule, in the production of this powder, the Turks do not resort to the use of preservatives, because this leads to increased costs.
How to brew pomegranate tea from Turkey if these are flowers and leaves of an exotic plant? The recipe is simple. 1 tbsp. dried raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water, the container is wrapped, for example, in a towel and left to infuse for about 15 minutes. Then the drink is filtered and drunk.
You can make pomegranate tea at home. Below are several ways to get a tasty and healthy drink.
We also recommend reading an interesting article about 4 other types of Turkish tea.
From grains
Of course, it is most correct to brew such tea following traditional Turkish technology. It uses a water (steam) bath.
You will need two vessels (teapots) with such a design that one can be placed on top of the other. You need to pour water into the lower one, and place your favorite tea leaves and pomegranate seeds into the upper one. This vessel is placed on the first one with water. When it boils in it, the tea and pomegranate are poured with boiling water. The top teapot is closed, and the contents simmer in it for about 5 minutes. The drink is ready (you can also cool it and strain it).
With juice
This is a simpler way to prepare a drink.
Granulated sugar is added to the tea brewed in the usual way (it can be green or black). After the drink has cooled a little, slightly warmed pomegranate juice is added to it. The recommended ratio is 1:1, but the ratio may vary depending on personal preference. To give the tea-pomegranate drink a fresh note, you can add mint.
From crusts
Pomegranate peels are used less frequently in tea preparation. Despite this, you can find quite a lot of recipes, the variety of which is given by a variety of ingredients. To get one of these drinks, you need to take pomegranate peels, mint, ginger root, cumin seeds, green tea and honey:
- The listed components (except for honey) are ground in a coffee grinder to a powdery mass.
- 1 tsp of this mixture is poured 1 tbsp. hot water, bring to a boil and simmer on the stove for an additional 1 minute.
- The fire is turned off and the drink is infused for 5 minutes. Then it is filtered. A spoonful of honey is added to the finished tea.
Tea with pomegranate juice can be drunk cold, while mint and lemon will add variety to the taste. How to prepare such a refreshing drink, watch in this video:
Beneficial properties of pomegranate under pressure
Pomegranate juice and pulp not only fights high blood pressure, but also prevents the development of certain diseases, which often lead to secondary hypertension. Its constant use stabilizes the condition in the following pathologies:
- atherosclerosis, in which cholesterol plaques are deposited on the walls of blood vessels;
- heart pathologies;
- kidney disease, since pomegranate juice is a diuretic;
- thyroid diseases, diabetes.
These pathologies often contribute to the development of hypertension, however, pomegranate juice and pulp can help minimize the manifestation of diseases.
Attention! Pomegranate will be useful for pregnant women, as it helps fight anemia thanks to the iron it contains.
What kind of tea is this, its history
Turks are very fond of pomegranate tea, and it is often what tourists bring from vacation for tea at home. In this regard, this type of “souvenir” products is produced in Turkey on an industrial scale.
There are several varieties of this tea. This can be a tea leaf soaked in pomegranate juice, or a powder consisting of a soluble ground tea-pomegranate mixture. You can also buy packages with dried flowers of the plant; pomegranate peels are also used.
Not everyone knows, but Türkiye has its own tea plantations. The first attempts at growing tea were made in the last years of the 19th century. However, they were not successful.
Only in the 20s of the 20th century did Ataturk pass a law on the creation of new tea plantations on the eastern coast of the Black Sea near the city of Rize. This place is the birthplace of Turkish tea today.
Events at the beginning of the 20th century became a difficult stage in the history of the country. The Turks had to give up their favorite coffee because of its high cost. It was replaced by tea grown on Turkish soil, to which local residents began to add pomegranate (its juice). This combination of ingredients made it possible to obtain an amazing drink, which is currently ranked among the national ones.
How to drink pomegranate juice for blood pressure
High blood pressure should not be treated for a long period of time with pomegranate juice. It is enough to take it for several weeks. Then you can take a week break and then resume taking it for another 2 weeks. Improvement can be expected within a month.
As a rule, juice is consumed three times a day 20 minutes before meals. It is advisable to drink it through a straw so as not to damage the enamel of your teeth. After this, you need to rinse your mouth with warm water. You should drink the juice in diluted form. It is often diluted 1:1 with water, but other types of natural juices can be added.
Can it cause harm?
Despite all the benefits that pomegranate provides, its improper use can be harmful to health .
The main property of pomegranate is to lower high blood pressure. Hypotensive patients need to remember this.
Are there any contraindications?
Like any plant that has healing properties, pomegranate has contraindications for use. Here is a list of diseases in which it can cause exacerbations:
- stomach diseases: gastritis and ulcers;
- hypertensive crisis;
- pancreatitis;
- weak tooth enamel;
- enteritis;
- children under 2 years of age;
- chronic constipation;
- haemorrhoids.
Restrictions
Pomegranate does not have many restrictions:
- Pomegranate juice should be used diluted in a 1:1 ratio for children aged 2 to 7 years.
- During pregnancy , you should drink pomegranate juice with caution , as it can lower blood pressure and increase the symptoms of weakness and drowsiness that often accompany women expecting a baby.
Pomegranate juice in large volumes is recommended for use only for the treatment of hypertension.
For hypotension
Hypotonic patients are not recommended to take pomegranate or its juice. For preventive purposes, they can use pomegranate juice no more than 50 ml per day and only in diluted form. In large quantities, pomegranate can reduce blood pressure monitor readings and aggravate an already difficult condition.
Recipes with pomegranate and pomegranate juice for blood pressure
The juice should be consumed through a straw.
It is necessary to choose the right pomegranate fruit to prepare high-quality juice. It should be elastic, without visible damage. The color of ripe pomegranate varies from all shades of yellow to rich burgundy. The ripeness of the pomegranate is also indicated by the grains emerging through the peel.
At home, juice can be prepared using a juicer, blender, or simply mash the grains with a wooden mortar.
Important! It should be noted that beneficial elements are retained in high concentration during the first 15 minutes after preparing the drink, then their amount decreases by an average of 30%.
In addition to natural freshly squeezed juice, a number of other recipes can be used for hypertension. For treatment you can use one of them:
- Half a pomegranate fruit should be poured with a glass of boiling water and left under a closed lid for about an hour. For several weeks, the infusion should be taken one spoon at a time before meals.
- Place dry pomegranate peels into an enamel container and add a glass of water. Place in a water bath for 30 minutes, then strain and dilute with 100 g of water. Take the decoction twice a day. This decoction will help with diseases of the kidneys, liver, and joints.
- For half a liter of water you should take about 30 g of crushed peel, pour boiling water over it (you can use it in a thermos). Brew and drink like tea, about 3 glasses a day.
- A spoonful of pomegranate juice is diluted with the same amount of natural lemon juice, and a spoonful of honey is added to the mixture. Should be taken 4-5 times before meals. The course is 2 weeks, then a 10-day break. After that, a repeat course again. The mixture perfectly cleanses blood vessels and relieves spasms.
- The thin internal partitions of pomegranate help relieve nervous tension, have a positive effect on sleep, and help cope with the effects of stress. The partitions are dried and crushed. Brew one spoon of raw material with 2 cups of boiling water. You can take it within 20 minutes. Drink instead of tea. Course – 2 weeks.
Pomegranate decoction also has beneficial properties.
In addition to the juice and peel, the pulp is also useful. To enrich the blood composition and strengthen the cardiovascular and nervous systems, you need to consume at least 100 g of pomegranate pulp.
How to take the drink
Pomegranate juice is very useful for hypertension. It will improve blood circulation and increase the elasticity of blood vessels. At the same time, heart function normalizes, the pulse slows down, and tachycardia disappears.
As a result, high blood pressure can be reduced by 5–20 units. This effect is achieved by consuming it daily between meals. The daily dose (300 ml) is divided into three parts. Before use, it is recommended to dilute in equal proportions with water or fresh carrot juice. You need to take the drink in courses of up to several weeks, then take a break for two weeks.
Important! Treatment of hypertension with pomegranate juice should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician, who, if necessary, will adjust the intake of essential medications.
If you suffer from blood pressure that is below normal, i.e. you are hypotensive, it is better to avoid pomegranate drink.
Important information: Dill for hypertension: recipe for tincture from seeds
And yet, in a conversation about whether pomegranate increases or decreases blood pressure, it’s too early to draw the line.
There is evidence that pomegranate juice with cognac increases blood pressure. Cognac first dilates blood vessels and blood pressure decreases. During this period, pomegranate has a beneficial effect on the body. After some time, the vessels narrow again, and the pressure will increase. If you want to test in practice whether such a cocktail increases or decreases blood pressure, be careful. It is difficult to predict an individual reaction, so the recommended dose of cognac does not exceed 50 ml.
Research by scientists on the effect of pomegranate on blood pressure
The properties of pomegranate and its juice have been studied for a long time. Today it has been established that the fetus actually affects blood pressure, the vascular and nervous systems of humans. Previously, a kind of experiment was conducted using two groups of people with a history of hypertension. The first group regularly drank pomegranate juice throughout the experiment, 300 g per day. The other group drank only water. At the same time, control pressure measurements were taken every week. Hypertensive patients from the first group showed normal results over time. People from the second group had high blood pressure, especially after physical activity.
Proper use of pomegranate juice
The benefits and harms of pomegranate juice are described above, but any product is useful in moderation. If a person has a cold, then it is necessary to drink about 100-50 g of freshly squeezed drink daily. For anemia - approximately 50 g. To reduce acidity, you can dilute it with other drinks.
You should not use the product often, especially concentrated ones, since the juice has a negative effect on tooth enamel. Use a straw.
See also Normal human blood pressure by age
If you want to get rid of high blood pressure, drink freshly squeezed 2 glasses per day, dividing the dose between meals. Treatment should not last more than 14 days.
Greenfield pomegranate tea
Today in any supermarket you can buy different teas, the taste of which, as manufacturers claim, is original and multifaceted. One of them is Greenfield with pomegranate, or Greenfield Grand Fruit tea. It does not contain dried pomegranate flowers. It consists of black tea, hibiscus, rosemary, pomegranate peel and pomegranate flavoring, and not a word is said about the naturalness of the latter.
Reviews about this type of Greenfield are different, its rating ranges from 3 to 5 points on various sites. The cost of a package of 25 sachets is approximately 62-67 rubles.
It’s incredibly pleasant to sit in some cafe by the sea in Turkey and enjoy sweet and sour pomegranate tea in a traditional cup. However, you can enjoy this drink in your homeland. To do this, you just need to use one of the recipes given above.
