In any meal, they provide a sweet, yet tart, burst of flavor. But it’s not just the flavoring that encourages people to eat them: They also provide a host of benefits, as the seeds and their juices contain several good-for-skin nutrients.* Yes, pomegranate extract makes for an excellent supplement option—especially for the skin-care-minded among us.* Allow us to explain. We’re going to wager you’re not interested in adding something to your routine that doesn’t address your specific skin health goals after all. Well, no matter your specific beauty concerns: You’re in luck. The pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) seems to have some pretty robust skin care benefits that almost anyone can get behind.* Most notably, I might add, the supplement can help support skin for healthy aging.* See, taking care of skin throughout your life involves supplying it with nutrients and phytonutrients internally that address multiple pathways. This helps your skin perform its best. Scroll on for the benefits associated with this whole fruit extract: See, it’s one of the best sources of ellagic acid, a specific type of the antioxidant polyphenol. Polyphenols are popular antioxidants in the beauty space, typically derived from things like (yes) pomegranate, green tea, and grapes. The plant-based micronutrient has been shown to protect your body’s cells (including skin) from free radicals, which can lead to premature aging in the skin.* Impressively, a high-quality 100% pomegranate whole fruit extract boasts at least 60% total polyphenols1.* This is where potent antioxidants can come into play.* “Skin photoaging is a result of the oxidative stress from UV radiation,” explains board-certified dermatologist Kautilya Shaurya, M.D. “Your skin naturally produces antioxidants; however, as your skin ages, these antioxidant levels often decrease.” This is precisely why replenishing antioxidant levels—both topically and internally via diet and targeted supplements—can have such a profound effect on overall skin health.* When consumed, antioxidants can help buffer the skin against photoaging by both absorbing UV rays and helping neutralize UV-induced free radical damage2, per research.* As for a concentrated pomegranate extract, clinical studies have shown that this targeted phytonutrient-rich botanical has the ability to enhance photoprotection3 in the skin, meaning your skin cells are better equipped to deal with UV rays and their subsequent effects.* For example, one randomized controlled trial found that the pomegranate extract increased skin’s resilience4 against UVB rays, as well as changes to the skin microbiome.* Another—this one, a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial—found that taking pomegranate extract orally could help with common sun-induced pigmentation.* See, when your body isn’t able to adequately deal with free radicals in the body, the result is something called oxidative stress. A prolonged state or accumulation of oxidative stress directly contributes to the skin aging process5. Specifically, it contributes to the loss of collagen and elastin fibers, resulting in fine wrinkles. Oxidative stress is also involved in reduced skin barrier function, decreased moisture, and increased risk for DNA mutations in our skin cells. To keep your body’s oxidative stress defenses up, your cells need functioning detoxification pathways—antioxidants help this process. Pomegranate extract attenuates oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant responses and increasing antioxidant capacity in the body.* In fact, pomegranate extract has been clinically shown to reduce biomarkers of oxidative stress6.* “There is no RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) because it’s not an essential nutrient. Additionally, there is no clinical consensus at this time. But dose can be informed and should be guided by published clinical science on pomegranate extract,” says mindbodygreen’s vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN. What does this mean in practice? Well, there is no recommended dosage to land squarely on. Instead, you should discuss your exact personalized wellness goals with your health care practitioner before deciding on an option. A dietitian herself, Ferira says, “You should look for supplements containing at least 100 milligrams if it’s a stand-alone pomegranate extract, ideally originating from the whole fruit.” Additionally, explains Ferira, “If it’s a multi-ingredient product with other skin-supporting and antioxidant-laden bioactives, then the pomegranate extract dosage may be lower than a stand-alone pomegranate extract supplement, where it’s doing all the work on its own.”* Essentially, when you are considering dosage on pomegranate extract, be mindful of whether you are taking it on its own—or if it’s part of a broader formulation. This can help inform the amount. Not to mention, a majority are less than transparent about what actually goes into the formula, you may have sustainability concerns, the brand doesn’t offer specifics to back up claims, and so on. For consumers, this can become quite the headache, fast. Here’s a good list of what to keep your eye on when shopping for a pomegranate extract supplement, according to Ferira: The other is a concentrated dose of the pure extract that is typically taken in capsule form. Beyond that, the comparisons that we can extrapolate come down to findings in specific studies or clinicals. Overall, both forms have several skin and health benefits thanks to their antioxidant properties.* “Historically, pomegranate juice has a larger number of published studies; and while not an extract, the findings are still useful and pertinent, but they just can’t be directly extrapolated to pomegranate extract as 1:1,” says Ferira. “But there are definitely similarities in that juice and extract studies have demonstrated health support for pomegranate plants for skin health (like UV photoprotection), antioxidant effects, and so on.”* For example, both pomegranate juice and extract improve skin’s photodamage resistance7 and changes to the skin microbiome.* And in separate studies, both the juice8 and the extract6 have been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the body.* How you take it is entirely up to you, of course, but we recommend pomegranates in extract, as it’s likely an easier, more effective, and sugar-free way to take it daily.* In fact, according to a comprehensive overview on pomegranate fruit extract9 published in Advanced Biomedical Research, “many studies have been carried out on the different components derived from pomegranate but no adverse effects have been reported in the examined dosage.”* But, of course, we always recommend consulting with your health care practitioner before starting any supplement routine should you have concerns. Well, it makes for a wonderful skin care ingredient as well. (With all those antioxidants, this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise!) “It contains vitamin C as well as other antioxidants such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and tannins,” says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. “Ellagic acid is a polyphenol found in high concentration in pomegranates.” She’s not the only one to support the skin care benefits of using the fruit topically. “Traditionally, pomegranate seed oil compounds have been touted for their anti-aging effects,” says board-certified dermatologist Raechele Cochran Gathers, M.D. “Pomegranate seed oil has both strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may make it useful in helping decrease signs of aging such as wrinkles and dark spots. And, in one study, a compound with pomegranate seed oil was shown to improve the growth of skin cells and improve skin hydration and elasticity.” Learn more in our full guide to pomegranate seed oil in skin care products.
