Nutrition

Healing Power of Juice

Some fruit juices provide powerful health benefits. But look for 100 percent natural fruit juice to avoid those containing high-fructose corn syrup (that's sugar) that can lead to weight gain.

Pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice is a rich source of antioxidants (helpful vitamins) and has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol - the bad, artery-clogging part of overall cholesterol. It also may slow the growth of prostate cancer. Pomegranate juice has been shown to stabilize the levels of men's PSA, or prostate specific antigen - a measure of prostate cancer. Another study found that pomegranate juice may increase blood flow to the heart in people with certain types of heart disease.

Orange juice. This traditional breakfast drink may help prevent recurrences of painful kidney stones. A study has found that a daily glass of orange juice can reduce the incidence of kidney stones better than other citrus drinks, such as lemonade.

Cranberry juice. Long thought of as a home remedy for urinary tract infections (UTIs), cranberry juice now appears to be most helpful before the UTI even develops. Studies indicate that cranberry juice is effective at preventing a bladder infection, but not at curing an existing one.

Blueberry juice. Blueberries have some of the same properties as cranberries that allow it to prevent UTIs.

A 2006 study showed that people who drank fruit or vegetable juices more than three times a week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those who drank juice less than once a week.

For more information, see the nonprofit Juice Products Association, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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