Pomegranate juice was shown to reduce the risk of arthrosclerosis in diabetics who participated in a study conducted over three months. The pomegranate juice also appeared to slow the absorption of unhealthy LDL cholesterol by immune cells.

People with diabetes have increased risk for atherosclerosis, contributing to coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and other circulation problems. The results of this study suggest that the antioxidants found in pomegranate juice may be beneficial in reducing these heart-related risks associated with diabetes. The sugars in pomegranate juice are attached to unique antioxidants, which actually make these sugars protective against atherosclerosis. Researchers examined the effects of drinking a concentrated pomegranate juice that is the equivalent to about a 6-ounce glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice for three months in 10 healthy adults and 10 adults with type 2 diabetes (who were not dependent on insulin therapy). Drinking pomegranate juice did not affect overall cholesterol levels, but researchers found it reduced the uptake of LDL (bad) cholesterol by immune cells, which is a major contributing factor to atherosclerosis.

Albeit a little tart, the reputation of the pomegranate falls heavily on the sweet side. One pomegranate delivers 40% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement. Food manufacturers' favor using pomegranate extracts instead of the juice because it contains no sugar, calories, or additives. Factor in the folic acid, the free-radical destroying antioxidants, and the overall health benefits of the Chinese apple and ask your arteries if it's worth a 6 ounce glass. I'm guessing the answer is yes.

Though the U.S. has achieved dramatic reductions in illness and death from coronary heart disease in the last 30 years, diabetes threatens to put an end to that progress. In a recent study out of New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, researchers have documented a dramatic upsurge in diabetes-related deaths and illnesses in New York City -- including a sharp rise in diabetic patients suffering heart attacks. This news may end the long-term trend of fewer heart attacks and related deaths in the U.S. When doctors studied death records of NYC residents ages 35 and up between 1989 and 2001, the mortality rate from diabetes rose 61 percent while deaths due to cancer, stroke and other diseases fell. Likewise, heart attacks in people with diabetes rose from 21 to 36 percent, and days spent in the hospital for diabetics due to heart attack increased a whopping 51 percent. According to study researchers, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Until doctors can get this disturbing trend under control through prevention and treatment, strides in coronary heart disease will continue to be reversed. A perfect example of two steps forward, three steps back.