Pomegranate juice helps reduce tummy

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LONDON: Studies earlier revealed that pomegranate can help prevent cancer, is good for your heart and can even boost your sex life.

Now, scientists believe that pomegranate juice has the power to reduce the fat around the stomach - the 'spare tyre' in men or the 'muffin top' in women.

After just one month, volunteers who consumed a bottle of pomegranate juice daily were found to be less likely to develop fatty cells around their abdomen.

They also had much lower blood pressure, therefore reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease, reports a UK daily.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh believe pomegranate juice may lower the amount of fatty acid in the blood known as non-esterified fatty acid or NEFA.

Previous studies in humans and animals have shown that high NEFA levels are linked to a greater storage of fat around the abdomen as well as an increased risk of heart disease and Type II diabetes.

In the experiment, a group of men and women were given a 500ml bottle of pomegranate juice to drink every day for four weeks.

The researchers found that nearly half of all volunteers had much lower NEFA levels by the end of the trial. They believe that this will make them less likely to store fat around their stomach.

Besides, more than 90 per cent of the men and women had lower blood pressure by the month end.

Emad Aldujaili and Catherine Tsang, lead researchers at Edinburgh University's School of Health Sciences, said: "There is no doubt that pomegranate juice is beneficial in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease because our results showed a significant and consistent lowering of blood pressure."