By Cynthia Sass
Photograph by Samantha Durfee
Photograph by Samantha Durfee
There are dozens of online videos and guides devoted to how to cut, de-seed and eat a pomegranate—and getting schooled is well worth the effort. A recent study, published in Cancer Prevention Research, found that natural substances called ellagitannins found in pomegranates slash the risk of hormone-dependent breast cancer. Scientists say these compounds suppress the production of estrogen, which in turn prevents estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells from flourishing. This potent disease-fighting fruit has also been found to impede the spread of cancer from the prostate to bone—a significant benefit because as prostate cancer, which has no known cure, is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States.