Every woman wants to keep her body in great shape, but sometimes, in order to lose a few extra pounds, exercise alone is not enough. Then various diets and proper nutrition come to the rescue. For example, some girls have learned to use pomegranate for weight loss and rejuvenation.
Currently, it is difficult to find a fruit that not only helps you lose weight, but also has a beneficial effect on the health of the entire body. Beauty of appearance, filling with energy, cleansing - these properties are possessed by the bright red fruit. Nutritionists do not prohibit eating pomegranate seeds at night, which indicates its low calorie content.
Useful properties of pomegranate for weight loss
When used correctly, pomegranate fruits can bring very tangible benefits not only for weight loss, but also in terms of improving health. Their main value lies in their rich composition, thanks to which they have a number of positive effects on the body:
- vitamins C, E, A, PP, group B, as well as microelements (calcium, magnesium, iodine, iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium) - strengthen the immune system, ensure the normal functioning of all organs and systems, stimulate the regeneration of skin cells;
- a unique set of 15 amino acids, 6 of which are present only in pomegranate and meat - they represent an indispensable building material for cells, especially necessary when following a vegetarian diet;
- punicalagin is another unique substance in pomegranate pulp, which is a powerful antioxidant, which, along with ellagic acid and a large amount of water-soluble polyphenols, gives this fruit a stronger antioxidant effect than citrus fruits, green tea and blueberries;
- tannins - improve digestion and eliminate diarrhea.
These fruits can be included in almost any dietary diet, since the daily calorie content remains almost unchanged when consumed: the energy value of 100 g of product is 50 kcal. Against the backdrop of the beneficial properties listed above, using pomegranate for weight loss significantly accelerates the loss of excess weight, allowing you to get rid of an average of 5 kg in 1 week and at the same time significantly improve your overall health.
The pulp of the fruit improves the functioning of the digestive system, eliminates diarrhea and compensates for the lack of animal proteins in vegetarian diet options. At the same time, the amount of fatty acids decreases, which prevents the formation of new fat cells, and also removes everything harmful and unnecessary from the body.
At the same time, there are different opinions among nutritionists as to whether pomegranate helps you lose weight and whether pomegranate is generally useful during a diet. Some experts argue that the fruit has no effect on lipid metabolism and is practically useless in terms of combating excess fat. First of all, it should be noted that both the harm and benefit to the body when consuming pomegranate for weight loss depends on proper use and compliance with the recommended dosage of the product. In any case, you need to listen to your body and follow the golden rule: eat rationally and sparingly, and move more often and more.
It is also important to know how pomegranate is useful for women for weight loss during menopause or during hormonal imbalance. Including the plant in the diet helps:
- restoring the natural balance of hormones;
- elimination of negative menopausal manifestations;
- relieving excessive irritability;
- neutralization of headaches and menstrual pain.
Men also receive many benefits when they include this fruit in their diet, the beneficial properties of which help them increase potency by activating blood circulation and improving the condition of blood vessels.
In general, the advantage of using pomegranate for weight loss is that it provides high-quality cleansing without a laxative effect and at the same time replenishes the lack of substances necessary for the body in conditions of limited nutrition. In addition, during the period of following such methods, it is recommended not to increase physical activity, but, on the contrary, to avoid it due to the lack of proteins and fats in the diet. If active sports activities are necessary, the menu must include additional portions of meat, fish, and cottage cheese.
Regarding whether pomegranate promotes weight loss if eaten at night, nutritionists answer in the negative. This is due to the fact that the pulp, especially together with grains, is difficult to digest and creates a burden on the digestive system. Therefore, such weight loss cannot be called healthy and harmless to the body. Also, the pulp and fresh juice from the fruit increases appetite, so you should consume them only after meals.
Daily norm
As such, there is no dosage for consuming the fruit, but, nevertheless, it is recommended to include pomegranate in the diet in moderation. Pomegranate seeds are considered the most useful. This fruit can also be used as an ingredient in pies and sauces, or fruit juices can be prepared from it. Since pomegranate has, among other things, healing abilities, it can also be used for therapeutic purposes. Typically, extracts from the peel, leaves, bark and pulp are used for this. But before use, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Harm
Negative side effects when consuming pomegranate for weight loss most often occur when the recommended amount is significantly exceeded. It is especially unsafe to use the peel, which has a high content of alkaloids. Symptoms of poisoning may include:
- headaches, dizziness;
- blurred vision;
- clouding of consciousness;
- convulsions;
- stomach colic and cramps.
In addition, due to the presence of a large amount of acids, the juice can damage tooth enamel. Therefore, it must be drunk through a straw or diluted by half with water or other drinks before use.
Excessive indulgence in pomegranate diets can also cause a number of negative consequences, the most common of which are:
- allergic reactions;
- relapses of gastrointestinal diseases;
- chronic constipation;
- inflammation of the appendix;
- exacerbation of hemorrhoids.
Important! When using pomegranate juice for weight loss, you should not consume it on an empty stomach due to the very high concentration of organic acids that have an irritating effect on the gastric mucosa. The last intake of fresh juice should be at least 3 hours before bedtime, as it can lead to swelling of the face in the morning.
It is best to take freshly squeezed pomegranate juice 30 minutes after eating. It should be borne in mind that the drink retains its beneficial properties only for 15 minutes after spinning. It then oxidizes and can be harmful to health.
Negative points
- Pomegranate juice has a high degree of acidity, which destroys tooth enamel and causes irritation of the gastric mucosa.
- The peel contains poisonous alkaloids that increase blood pressure, cause dizziness and even loss of vision and convulsions.
- Pomegranate speeds up the digestive system and the secretion of gastric juices, which can cause heartburn.
- The fruit has “strength” properties, which means it can lead to constipation. And this problem will subsequently cause disruption of the intestines, discomfort, and bloating.
- May cause allergies if consumed in large quantities.
Diets
The easiest way to use pomegranate for weight loss is to consume one such fruit daily or freshly squeezed juice from it, half diluted with water. You should take such products only after meals and preferably in the first half of the day. Their active substances speed up digestion and enhance metabolic processes, which will contribute to weight loss. For this purpose, it is useful to add the fruit to the diet of any diet to increase its effectiveness. In addition, you can use ready-made versions of pomegranate diets lasting from 5 days to 3 weeks.
For 5 days
With proper nutrition and simultaneous consumption of pomegranate, weight loss on a five-day diet is usually about 3 kg. A sample menu should be as follows:
- breakfast – seeds of one medium pomegranate or freshly squeezed juice from it, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1;
- lunch - boiled chicken, 1 glass of diluted pomegranate juice;
- dinner - low-fat cottage cheese with fruit grains.
Important! Drinking pomegranate pulp or juice on an empty stomach can harm the gastric mucosa, cause heartburn, and even provoke the development of gastritis or ulcers. Therefore, the first diet option must be followed with caution and closely monitor your health.
To prevent increased stomach acidity, you should drink at least 2 liters of water daily while losing weight. If unpleasant symptoms appear, the diet should be stopped immediately.
For 10 days
If the previous version of the diet seems too harsh or the amount of pomegranate consumed is excessive, you can use a softer version of the diet, designed for 10 days. Its menu is built according to the following scheme:
- in the morning on an empty stomach – 1 glass of warm water;
- breakfast (after 20 minutes) – buckwheat porridge, 1 glass of fresh pomegranate juice;
- lunch – a glass of natural yogurt or 1 apple;
- lunch – buckwheat porridge with boiled chicken breast;
- afternoon snack - 1 banana;
- dinner – buckwheat with green leafy vegetables;
- at night - a glass of kefir or a handful of dried fruits and green tea.
The results of such nutrition are very individual, but usually the weight is at least 4 kg. If desired, you can reduce the duration of the diet to 7 days, but then the loss of kilograms will be somewhat more modest. If severe weakness, apathy, or a sharp deterioration in health occur, this method of losing weight should be abandoned.
For 3 weeks
There are two varieties of the three-week pomegranate diet. In both cases, there is no specific menu option, you just need to adhere to any low-calorie diet during this period and at the same time consume a pomegranate-olive mixture or drink fresh pomegranate according to one of these schemes, respectively:
- a mixture of crushed grains with olive oil should be taken 2 times a day - 1 tbsp. l. half an hour before breakfast and dinner;
- fresh juice is taken half a glass after main meals: in the first week - 3 times a day;
- in the second week - 2 times (after breakfast and lunch);
- on the third - only after breakfast.
The indicated duration of such a diet is minimal. If you choose a balanced healthy diet and there are no contraindications, you can introduce pomegranate into your daily diet as a source of beneficial microelements. But the amount of product consumed should not exceed the indicated dosages.
Pomegranate juice on an empty stomach
Since the best time to eat an exotic fruit is before lunch, many people think that they can enjoy the fruit immediately after getting out of bed. However, experts recommend not drinking pomegranate juice on an empty stomach. The fruits of this plant contain a variety of acids that can negatively affect the gastric mucosa.
Therefore, it is better to drink a glass of juice after a hearty breakfast. In this case, the stomach will already be ready for pomegranate. If preference is given to freshly squeezed juice, it should be drunk no later than 20 minutes after squeezing, otherwise it will quickly oxidize and only cause harm.
Peeling
The most common method of external use of pomegranate for weight loss is peeling. The pomegranate peeling procedure is carried out in almost all professional beauty salons, since it very effectively removes the stratum corneum of the epidermis, improves cell regeneration, increases natural metabolic processes, preventing the appearance of wrinkles and sagging after reducing body weight and volume.
For peeling, pure pomegranate juice is used, which is applied to problem areas of the body in 7-10 layers as it dries. You can make some changes to this classic recipe:
- if the skin is too sensitive, the fresh juice must be diluted with kefir or milk;
- If the peeling effect is well tolerated, it is recommended to enhance the peeling effect with lemon juice in a 1:1 ratio.
The procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week, preferably in the evening before bedtime.
Scrub
If desired, peeling can be replaced with a scrub, which has the same effect, but gives faster exfoliation results. The following compositions are used to carry out the procedure:
- mix crushed pomegranate seeds, honey and almond oil in equal proportions;
- to 2 tbsp. l. fresh pomegranate add the juice of 1 lemon, ½ tsp. fine salt and olive oil;
- mix 2 tbsp. l. ground oatmeal with 1 tbsp. l. honey and the same amount of pomegranate juice.
The prepared mixture is applied to cleansed skin, massaged for 10 minutes, then washed off with warm water.
In order to constantly maintain good skin tone while losing weight, it is recommended to wipe the body with fresh pomegranate daily. You can also add it to mixtures for masks and wraps to increase their lifting effect.
Recipes
Before using pomegranate for weight loss, you must first peel it and remove the grains covered with juicy pulp. This can be done in several ways:
- cut off the top, make shallow cuts along the skin along the veins, turn the fruit over a deep plate and, tapping it with a spoon, knock out the grains;
- in the same way, cut off the top and cut the fruit into shallow slices, then immerse it in a deep bowl of water, separate the grains from the peel, collect the floating pieces of the core and film, strain the grains that have settled to the bottom through a colander;
- Cover a deep bowl with a mold for making dumplings, cut the fruit in half and place one half on the dumpling maker, cover it with a silicone baking mold and knock out the grains by tapping with a hammer.
The resulting grains can be eaten on their own, added to dishes, or freshly squeezed using the recipes below.
Pomegranate juice
Juice from pomegranate seeds can also be obtained in several ways. The most practical of them would be to use a centrifugal juicer, with which you can very quickly get clean fresh juice with a minimum of waste. If you don’t have a juicer, then other options will do:
- Wrap some of the grains tightly in a piece of gauze, leaving the edges to hold in your hand. Place in a wide saucepan, crush with a rolling pin and then squeeze out the remaining liquid by twisting the cheesecloth. Clean the gauze from the used seeds, add a new portion and repeat the procedure.
- Grind the seeds in a blender. Strain the resulting mass through a mesh filter or squeeze it out, wrapping it in gauze.
- Place the grains in a strong plastic bag and beat with a hammer. Make a small hole in the bag and drain the fresh juice. If desired, you can filter using the above methods.
The resulting liquid must be diluted with water or another drink to reduce the concentration of organic acids and drunk immediately.
Pomegranate-olive mixture
The combination of pomegranate and olive oil is the only remedy that is recommended to be taken before meals during the weight loss period. The useful composition is prepared according to the following scheme:
- the grains of one fruit are crushed in a blender;
- add 4 tsp. olive oil;
- stir;
- transfer to a jar with a lid;
- stored in the refrigerator.
The pomegranate-olive mixture significantly reduces appetite and speeds up metabolism. It should be taken before meals.
Contraindications
Consuming pomegranate for weight loss in recommended quantities without exceeding the dosage has virtually no contraindications. The presence of the following pathological conditions may limit the use of fruit:
- gastritis or ulcer in chronic and acute form;
- pancreatitis;
- hypotension;
- frequent constipation.
But even in the absence of contraindications, it should not be abused. Only moderate consumption can provide health benefits and help normalize body weight.
Reviews and results of losing weight
Veronica, 29 years old, Samara
I love pomegranates very much, but usually I rarely buy them because of the high cost. When the question arose about the need to lose weight, and all the diets I tried did not bring the expected results, I began to look for other options to solve the problem. I accidentally read about how useful pomegranate is for weight loss - reviews indicated that with the help of this fruit, kilograms disappear much faster. Then I decided to combine business with pleasure and chose a pomegranate diet lasting 3 weeks. During this period I lost 6 kg. Now I spend a weekly fasting day on a pomegranate, which also helps a lot - the weight continues to slowly decrease.
Elena, 47 years old, Arkhangelsk
I had long heard about losing weight with pomegranates, but I didn’t really believe in the effectiveness of this method. But one day I went on vacation to Greece, where these fruits are very affordable. Throughout my vacation, I ate pulp or drank fresh juice after every meal, and I didn’t really limit myself in food. True, the local cuisine is distinguished by a healthy diet with a predominance of plant foods, olive oil and cheeses. This combination provided wonderful results - in 3 weeks I lost almost 7 kg. At the same time, complexion, mood and well-being have significantly improved. Now these miracle fruits are always present on our table, but without abuse.
Olga, 34 years old, Kerch
Losing weight on pomegranates not only didn’t help me, but it almost ruined my health. I didn’t check whether it was possible to eat these fruits in the evening, so I ate them for dinner and before bed to curb my appetite. As a result, I woke up in the morning with a puffy face and heaviness in my stomach, but I did not immediately understand the reason for these phenomena. Then the abdominal pain began, especially after drinking freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Then I immediately abandoned this technique and treated my stomach for several more months. I recommend using these products carefully, especially in large quantities.
Nastya, 28 years old, Kolomna
I have my own principle of losing weight using pomegranates. I drink freshly squeezed juice three times a day after meals, and in between I eat grains to get rid of hunger. Of course, I’m switching to proper nutrition without fried, flour and sweets. In one week on such a diet you lose 3-4 kg. Then you need to take a break and repeat in a month, if necessary. You should drink fresh juice through a straw and or brush your teeth every time to protect your tooth enamel. The diet is quite easy to tolerate, and after it your health and appearance significantly improves.
Is it possible for the night
It is known that any food has its own favorable hours for consumption. As for pomegranate, it is better to eat it in the morning or afternoon for weight loss, rather than at night. The fact is that the exotic fruit is quite difficult to digest and assimilate. If you really want to eat it or drink juice in the evening, it is better to do this at least 3 hours before you plan to go to bed.
Another reason why you should not eat the fruit at night is its high water content. A tasty snack before bed can result in a puffy face in the morning.
