Punica Granatum Extract
Fruits are amazing, they are a bliss for our health and beauty. They are full of natural ingredients that can boost our general health. But one which is the focus of this blog is pomegranate. Did you know that pomegranate that has been used in the kitchen for many years, is packed with loads of health benefits? This fruit, which scientists call it Punica Granatum, is known to be one of the oldest edible fruits that has been around for centuries. It is produced widely in many tropical and subtropical countries, such as India, Pakistan, Iran, China as well as in European and Mediterranean regions. In ancient times, due to its massive use in folk medicine, pomegranate was commonly known as “paradise fruit”.
In ancient India and Egypt, pomegranate has been used as a therapy for a number of conditions such as cough, diarrhea, dysentery (intestinal inflammation), dental plaque, bleeding noses, infertility and inflammation. Pomegranate fruit, or the juice is full of many things that are essential to your body. Things such as crucial vitamins and minerals (vitamins E, K and C, minerals such as potassium, copper, zinc and iron, all of which are important for hair growth) anti-inflammatory compounds and also natural oestrogens. In addition, pomegranate has been shown to possess amazing antioxidant activity. In other words, when compared to other antioxidant-riche beverages such as green tea or red wine, pomegranate has been shown to have the highest level of antioxidant activity. This feature makes it a fruit of a high nutritional value.
When it comes to hair, pomegranate can be effective in promoting hair growth. Since it contains potassium, copper, zinc, iron, vitamins E, K and C, all of which are essential for hair growth. In addition, it also contains antioxidants that can prevent hair loss.
Antioxidant and hair
Antioxidants are compounds that are mainly involved in inhibition of a chemical reaction that produce free radicals. Free radicals usually cause other damages to the cells of our body. Therefore, it is important to prevent these damages by containing antioxidants in our diet. In addition, antioxidants have been shown to be linked with hair loss. For example, lack of antioxidants in alopecia areata (hair loss) patients has been reported in several clinical studies. In addition, various studies have reported elevated levels of oxidative stress which was accompanied by reduced levels of protective antioxidant protective enzymes in alopecia areata patients. All together, these studies indicate the protective role of antioxidants against hair loss. In addition to pomegranate, there are various other food sources that are rich in antioxidants. Food sources such as small red beans, black berries, strawberries, black beans, blueberries, red kidney beans and plums are also rich in antioxidants.
References
- Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and therapy
- Basiri, S. (2015). Evaluation of antioxidant and antiradical properties of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed and defatted seed extracts. Journal of food science and technology
- Derakhshan, Z., Ferrante, M., Tadi, M., Ansari, F., Heydari, A., Hosseini, M. S., . . . Sadrabad, E. K. (2018). Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of ethanolic extract of pomegranate peels, juice and seeds. Food and Chemical Toxicology
- El-Hadary, A. E., & Taha, M. (2020). Pomegranate peel methanolic-extract improves the shelf-life of edible-oils under accelerated oxidation conditions. Food science & nutrition
- Prie, B. E., Voiculescu, V. M., Ionescu-Bozdog, O. B., Petrutescu, B., Iosif, L., Gaman, L. E., . . . Giurcaneanu, C. (2015). Oxidative stress and alopecia areata. Journal of medicine and life, 8 Spec Issue
