Pomegranate Seed Oil
Miracle Gift of Nature

For years, vegetarians have called for a plentiful non-animal food source of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)—an avowed enemy of cancer, atherosclerosis, obesity, inflammation and diabetes. Sunflower and safflower oils contain disappointingly small percentages of CLA, whereas significant quantities are found in grass-fed, not grain-fed, ruminant meat and dairy sources. Thus, even non-vegetarians might not get enough CLA, as most American cattle are grain-fed.

Comes Pomegranate Seed Oil (PSO). The storied pomegranate, cultivated since Biblical times, is a rich source of CLnA (conjugated linolenic acid), a technical analogue to CLA. Early studies reveal the great promise of PSO as a rival to animal-derived CLA. Indeed, Japanese studies have shown CLnA superior to CLA vis a vis anti-tumor activity, in animal and in vitro studies. Cancer fighter, immune booster, skin rejuvenator, blood sugar stabilizer, lipid regulator, anti-inflammatory—seed oil of pomegranate is a miracle of Nature. The answer to the prayers of vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike.   

Conjugated fatty acids (like CLA and CLnA) is a term describing fatty acids with conjugated double-bond chemistry, i.e., alternating single and double bonded carbon atoms. These fatty acids, while not abounding in Nature, are the subject of intense study for their beneficial physiological effects. In 1987, Dr. Michael Pariza of the University of Wisconsin discovered that conjugated linoleic acid, formed in the stomach of ruminants (such as cows, goats and sheep), possesses powerful anti-cancer properties. Ironically, Pariza was investigating burned meat as a carcinogen when he happened upon component CLA, an anti-carcinogen.  

Among the handful of plants known to contain conjugated fatty acids (CFA), pomegranate seed oil is one of the richest sources. Over 65% of the seed oil is CFA.  Whereas, CLA, derived from animals, is a diene—a conjugated fatty acid with two alternating double bonds—PSO contains trienes, with three alternating double bonds. A Japanese study in 2000 compared conjugated fatty acids with three double bonds (CLnA) with conjugated fatty acids with two double bonds (CLA). The former were more effective in killing off leukemia cells than the latter.
 
Other very useful co-factors abound in pomegranate seed oil complex.  For example, PSO is the richest plant source of female steroidal estrogen hormone, estrone.  For women, benefits of estrone include reduction of incidence of coronary-artery disease and osteoporosis, and lubrication of the sex organ.  Women will also take interest in pomegranate seed oil as a cosmeceutical that promotes regeneration of surface skin, as studies have confirmed. 
Additionally, studies show PSO contains over 3 mg/g of rare 17-alpha-estradiol, a mild and safe steroidal estrogen that protects brain tissue. Again, PSO may be the only plant source of 17-alpha-estradiol.  Other factors in PSO include gamma-tocopherol (a rare and potent form of Vitamin E) and phytosterols: beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol.

No understatement then to call Pomegranate Seed Oil a miraculous gift of Mother Nature.