Dates, pictured here, could be a weapon in the war on heart disease if consumed in combination with pomegranate juice, according to recent research
A four-ounce glass of pomegranate juice with three dates could protect against the buildup of lipids on the arterial walls by as much as 33 percent, reducing chances for a heart attack, according to researchers in Israel.
Pomegranate juice and dates make a dynamic duo in the war on heart disease because their respective phenolic antioxidants work differently, according to lead author Professor Michael Aviram.
The key ingredients in pomegranate juice, he says, are plant-derived polyphenolic antioxidants that slow the body's oxidation process, thereby reducing oxidative stress.
Dates contain phenolic radical scavenger antioxidants, which hinder the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LCL) cholesterol, also known as "bad-cholesterol."
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