Pomegranates have been filling up the supermarket shelves since autumn, but how many of us have actually bought one? How many of us have even noticed them?
Aside from the recent craze for pomegranate juice, this shiny red fruit often gets ignored. But it shouldn't be. For a start, pomegranates can do wonders for the skin.
Pomegranates are a great source of antioxidants (they contain up to three times more than oranges) and they're high in vitamins E, A and C. They are known to benefit the heart, improve digestion and boost immunity but pomegranates also strengthen skin cells. This is where the beauty benefits come in. Pomegranates are brilliant at both nourishing the skin and preventing ageing.
Dr. Ellen Marmur told Huffington Post Style that because of the high vitamin C content found in the seed oil, pomegranates decrease roughness in the skin. They're also great at treating breakouts as "the antioxidants in pomegranates will help to reduce that inflammation."
And that's not all. Polyphenols found in pomegranates protect the skin from damage caused by the sun and the environment, which in turn prevents wrinkles and sun burn.
Then there's the not-so-small matter of collagen production. "Pomegranates help to plump up skin and boost your blood supply to get rid of that tired look," Dr Marmur told the site.
Radiance, spot-relief and wrinkle prevention? Suddenly pomegranates sound like an essential buy on the next visit to the supermarket.
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