The Antioxidant

My story with pomegranate begins in Morocco, on Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech. I was a flight steward at the time, and during a layover, a juice vendor handed me a glass of freshly pressed pomegranate juice and said: ‘Taste it, it’s health.’ I drank it in one gulp. It was sweet, astringent, with a depth I had never tasted in a simple fruit. That glass of pomegranate juice changed my life. That day I began to take an interest in juices, a path that led me from an aircraft cabin to a naturopath’s office. Pomegranate is a mythical fruit, a symbol of fertility since Antiquity, and modern science proves it right: it is one of the most powerful fruits nature has created.

Your body fighting free radicals? Take the oxidative balance test and read my article on oxidative stress.

Bioactive molecules

Pomegranate punicalagines are the largest known polyphenols, three times more antioxidant than green tea or red wine¹. The real miracle is urolithin A: your microbiota transforms pomegranate ellagitannins into urolithin A which activates mitophagy, the process of renewal of your mitochondria². This is literally a cellular rejuvenation mechanism. Anthocyanins protect the vascular endothelium and prevent LDL-cholesterol oxidation³.

Pomegranate concentrates polyphenols of exceptional power. Punicalagines, its characteristic tannins, are the largest known polyphenols (molar mass > 1,000 Da) and possess antioxidant capacity three times greater than green tea or red wine. But the most fascinating thing is what happens after ingestion. Pomegranate ellagitannins are hydrolyzed into ellagic acid in the intestine, then transformed by the microbiota into urolithins, particularly urolithin A. This molecule, recently discovered, activates mitophagy, the process by which cells eliminate their damaged mitochondria and replace them with new mitochondria. This is a mechanism of cellular rejuvenation in the literal sense of the term. Research by Ryu et al. (Nature Medicine, 2016) showed that urolithin A improved muscle function and endurance in elderly subjects. Anthocyanins, the red pigments of pomegranate, protect the vascular endothelium and reduce LDL-cholesterol oxidation. Vitamin C (10 mg/100 g) and potassium (236 mg/100 g) complete this profile. Pomegranate is the anti-aging fruit par excellence, not because it masks aging, but because it acts at the most fundamental level: the renewal of mitochondria.

Pomegranate is the juice of longevity. If you could only add one fruit juice to your routine, it would be this one. Two to three glasses per week are enough to benefit from the mitophagic effect of urolithin A. It is a remarkable health investment for a fruit found in all markets from October to February.

Table of key micronutrients

Micronutrient	Primary role
Punicalagines	Major antioxidant (3× green tea), cardiovascular protection
Ellagic acid	Precursor of urolithins, anti-inflammatory
Urolithins (via microbiota)	Mitophagy, mitochondrial renewal, anti-aging
Anthocyanins	Endothelial protection, anti-oxidation of LDL
Vitamin C	Immunity, collagen synthesis
Potassium	Blood pressure regulation, water balance

Preparation with cold press juicer

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe pomegranates (approximately 500 g of arils)
• 3 organic carrots
• 1 red apple

Week 1-2: one juice per day from these 5 recipes. Week 3-4: explore recipes from the current season. Month 2: use the therapeutic index to target your needs. Golden rule: consistency matters more than complexity. A simple juice drunk every day is worth more than an elaborate formula drunk once a week.

My recommended juicer

For this recipe, I use the Hurom H80-ST. Cold pressing preserves all the enzymes, vitamins and phytonutrients that a centrifuge’s heat would destroy.

Promo code: francoisbenavente20 for -20% on the entire Hurom site.

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To go further

Related articles

• Oxidative stress and antioxidants
• Cellular aging

Test yourself

• Questionnaire: Oxidative balance

Complementary recipes

• The Pick-me-up
• The Red Elixir
• The Pre-vacation
• The Citrus Cocktail
• The Resinous Velvet

Learn more

• All my health questionnaires
• My naturopathy shop
• Video naturopathy consultation
• My Living Juices ebook