The Disadvantages of Pomegranates

It's always a good idea to eat more fruit, but pomegranates have disadvantages that may make it a difficult fruit choice for some people. Compared to some other fruits, pomegranates may be an inconvenient fruit to eat -- making it more time-consuming to eat healthy -- and the fruit and its juice are a concentrated source of sugar. There are also concerns that the fruit and juice may interact with certain medications, including statins and blood-thinners. Consult your doctor to discuss how pomegranates fit into your diet.

Eating a pomegranate is not like eating an apple. You can't simply wash it and go. It requires a bit of work, so it's not the most convenient way to eat healthy in a time crunch. The fruit of the pomegranate, called arils, is not only hidden under the tough red exterior, but imbedded in white pith. To get to the sweet and tart arils, you have to cut into the fruit and figure out how to scoop them out.

The Pomegranate Council suggests cutting the fruit into sections after removing the stems, then placing the sections into a bowl of water and removing the arils from the sections with your finger. Once all the arils have been removed, you can strain the bowl of water and enjoy.

The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says people with diabetes should be careful about eating pomegranates because of its sugar content. A 1/2-cup serving of the arils contains 16 grams of carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar, while the same serving size of pomegranate juice contains 16 grams of carbohydrates and 16 grams of sugar.

If you're concerned about the sugar in your diet, go for the fruit instead of the juice. Pomegranate fruit is a better source of fiber, which not only helps with blood sugar control but also helps keep you feeling full.

Both pomegranate fruit and its juice contain high amounts of vitamin K. While vitamin K is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in blood clotting, if you're taking the blood thinner warfarin you may need to be careful about the amount of vitamin K in your diet. The recommendation is to eat a consistent amount of vitamin K each day to make sure the medication works effectively. If pomegranates are not a regular part of your diet, you need to take into account its vitamin K content so that it doesn't affect your medication.

Although research is limited, there is concern that pomegranates, including the fruit, juice and extract, may inhibit an enzyme that metabolizes medication -- similar to the effect of grapefruit. Memorial Sloan Kettering warns that drinking pomegranate juice while taking statins may increase your risk of rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle tissue that may damage your kidneys, due to this inhibition. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss possible interactions with any medication you're taking.