It turns out that pomegranates may not just help with Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease: they might actually reduce the risk for breast cancer. “An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer,” was the conclusion by researchers in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. “We identified some of these chemicals in pomegranates that actually have properties that can suppress aromatase,” researcher Shiuan Chen, of the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, said in a telephone interview. To read the full article, go to Reuters.

TIPS: if you want the benefits of pomegranate’s powers without the hassle of picking the seeds out yourself, both Trader Joes in Carroll Gardens and Fairway in Red Hook sell pomegranate seeds in a container (as well as many bodegas). The peeled pomegranates might be more expensive, but if you don’t have the time or patience – this could be (quite literally), a life saver. My friend Ali, gives a pomegranate to her kids every week. I saw her 2 year old picking the seeds out for an entire length of a 1.5 hour PTA meeting: pure concentration and pure quiet.  What a brilliant idea!

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