Dr Amir Khan has shared the health benefits of a fruit that’s in season now, and is packed with antioxidants that can improve heart health and protect against disease
Danielle Kate Wroe Senior Social News Reporter
15:46, 08 Feb 2026
The fruit could help to boost your health (stock image)(Image: Getty)
If enhancing your health is amongst your priorities this year, Dr Amir Khan has shared that there’s a fruit you ought to incorporate into your diet that you’re likely not consuming regularly at present. We’re all aware that we should be striving to consume five portions of fruits and vegetables daily according to health advice around the world, but selecting fruit that is “in season” will make the experience considerably more enjoyable for you.
Dr Amir noted that it’s “pomegranate season” as he displayed the “beautiful” fruit. “But the beauty isn’t just skin deep. Pomegranates have loads of health benefits, too,” he shared.
“They’re exceptionally high in antioxidants, which can help us protect ourselves from damage done from things like cigarette smoking and air pollution. Specific antioxidants in pomegranate include panallergens, anthocyanins and ellagitannins.”
Sharing expert advice, he revealed that “small studies have suggested that pomegranate may have some anti-cancer properties,” but further research is required to be able to state this “definitively”.
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Pomegranate can also “improve heart health,” according to the doctor, as he outlined that, in a 2022 review of 10 of the most commonly purchased fruits and “their effects on cardiovascular disease”, researchers discovered that pomegranate and pomegranate juice “can have significant benefits for improving a number of heart conditions, including high blood pressure and damage done by cholesterol”.
He went on to explain that pomegranates contain antioxidants called ellagitannin, and they are “believed to produce a compound in the gut called urolithin A, which is being studied for its ability to reduce inflammation in the brain, and perhaps delay the onset of cognitive disease”.
Dr Amir stated: “They also have plenty of vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium, all of which are really good for our health, so it’s important to include some pomegranate in a well-balanced diet while it’s still in season”.
What are the advantages of pomegranate?
According to Healthline, they’re loaded with nutrients, and pomegranates are low in calories and fat but high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
They’re abundant in antioxidants, and obtaining antioxidants from fruits such as pomegranates is an excellent way to support overall health and help prevent disease.
Consuming pomegranates may help prevent the inflammation linked to some chronic conditions. As Dr Amir highlighted, they may also possess anti-cancer properties, but further research is needed.
There is evidence that fruits rich in polyphenolic compounds, such as pomegranate, may benefit heart health. For instance, in a study on people with heart disease, drinking pomegranate juice reduced the frequency and severity of chest pain, as well as certain biomarkers that suggest a protective effect on heart health.
Laboratory and clinical studies have discovered that pomegranate extract might assist in preventing kidney stone development and could possess antimicrobial qualities, whilst also potentially supporting your gut microbiome.
The polyphenols present in pomegranates may enhance exercise stamina. One limited study revealed that pomegranate extract extended time to exhaustion and boosted performance in trained cyclists.
They also diminish inflammation, and ellagitannins present in pomegranate may safeguard the brain against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease by lessening oxidative damage and enhancing the survival of brain cells, though further research is required.