The antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice is particularly strong, at twice that of red wine. This activity is due to the presence of ellagitannins extracted from the fruit husk during juice manufacturing.
The clinical studies in vitro indicated that ellagitannins as a major polyphenols accounting for 92% of antioxidant activity in the pomegranate juice.
The activity was higher in commercial juices extracted from whole pomegranates juice in juices obtained from arils only, suggesting that industrial processing extracts some of the hydrolysable tannins present in the fruit rind.
Pomegranate juice one of the richest food products in ellagitannins showed protection against cardiovascular disease, decreasing the effect for risk factors for atherosclerosis such as hypertension, platelet aggregations, blood lipid profiles and oxidative stress.
Punicalagin is unique to pomegranate and is part of the family of ellagitannins. It is being reported as the substance responsible for over half of the juice’s potent antioxidant activity.
Antioxidants in pomegranate juice
