Israeli scientists have previously demonstrated that the fruit juice, taken daily, prevented the thickening of arteries in the neck (Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):423-33).
The new trials at Hammersmith hospital in London will focus on people with healthy arteries to find out whether the juice could be an effective prevention measure against heart disease.
"Preliminary studies suggest that pomegranate juice may contain almost three times the total antioxidant ability compared to the same quantity of green tea or red wine," said cardiologist Dr Richard Bogle.
Pomegranates contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins, all thought to help fight disease. Extracts of the fruit are also being researched for the cancer-fighting properties.
In other studies at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, the juice of the fruit was found to slow down cholesterol oxidation by almost half, and reduce the retention of LDL.
