May Boost Exercise Performance
According to research, the high concentrations of dietary nitrogen in pomegranates could boost performance during exercise. Researchers conducted a study in 2014 that involved 19 male and female athletes. Each athlete consumed either pomegranate or a placebo juice before performing three treadmill exercises that required them to exercise until they were exhausted. The arterial flow was measured using an ultrasound on the brachial vein before and after exercise. The athletes who consumed the pomegranate drink were able exercise for significantly longer periods before exhaustion compared to those in the placebo group. The athletes who consumed pomegranate juice also showed improved blood flow, and a larger blood vessel in comparison with those receiving the placebo. In a separate 2015 study, a small group endurance athletes improved their endurance and aerobic performance by drinking five hundred milliliters of pomegranate fruit juice every day for fifteen days.
