Myth: Pomegranate supplements have an influence on insulin or blood sugar levels.
Truth: This is false.
Pomegranate supplements have not shown any effects in helping manage blood glucose levels among diabetic patients.
Diabetes mellitus is a growing chronic disease affecting millions of people around the world. In order to manage diabetes, it is important that patients monitor and stabilize their blood sugar levels through means of exercise, supplements, etc. Due to their high antioxidant content, pomegranates are a fruit used to prevent and treat diseases. Some studies also suggest pomegranates’ ability to improve blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity.
A Chinese study published in Nutrition Journal evaluated how effective pomegranate treatments were for controlling blood glucose. When comparing pomegranate juice versus pomegranate oil trials over 12 weeks, the research found that pomegranate supplements do not significantly change glucose or insulin concentrations in the blood. Therefore, the assumption that pomegranates can manage blood sugar has been a myth debunked. To read more about the study, click here.
Reference
- Huang, H., Liao, D., Chen, G. et al. Lack of efficacy of pomegranate supplementation for glucose management, insulin levels and sensitivity: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr J 16, 67 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-017-0290-1
