What Happens to Your Blood Sugar When You Eat Pomegranates on an Empty Stomach
Pomegranates, like all fruits, contain carbohydrates that are broken down into glucose (sugar) that the body uses for energy.12 Some wellness influencers claim that eating these vibrant, red fruits on an empty stomach gives you an energy boost without drastically spiking blood sugar.
Eating Pomegranate on an Empty Stomach
This is not the first time wellness influencers have pushed the idea that eating fruit on an empty stomach offers special health benefits. However, there is no evidence that this practice aids digestion or nutrient absorption.3
To get the heart health and antioxidant benefits, focus on making pomegranates a regular part of your diet, said Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, a Dallas-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Consistency of the intake is more important than eating it on an empty stomach,” she said.
Despite some claims made online, you can get the fruit’s health benefits regardless of when you eat them.45
“Pomegranates offer so much nutrition. I don’t care when you eat it or how you eat—if you’re sprinkling it on yogurt or oatmeal, having them on salad, or just eating some when you wake up in the morning—there’s a host of nutrition benefits,” Susie said.
Here are four health benefits associated with eating pomegranates regularly, even if you don’t eat them on an empty stomach.
Eating Pomegranate on an Empty Stomach
This is not the first time wellness influencers have pushed the idea that eating fruit on an empty stomach offers special health benefits. However, there is no evidence that this practice aids digestion or nutrient absorption.3
To get the heart health and antioxidant benefits, focus on making pomegranates a regular part of your diet, said Caroline Susie, RDN, LD, a Dallas-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Consistency of the intake is more important than eating it on an empty stomach,” she said.
Despite some claims made online, you can get the fruit’s health benefits regardless of when you eat them.45
“Pomegranates offer so much nutrition. I don’t care when you eat it or how you eat—if you’re sprinkling it on yogurt or oatmeal, having them on salad, or just eating some when you wake up in the morning—there’s a host of nutrition benefits,” Susie said.
Here are four health benefits associated with eating pomegranates regularly, even if you don’t eat them on an empty stomach.
- Provides Antioxidants
Often called a “superfood,” pomegranates contain antioxidants, like polyphenols, that help protect against cancer and heart disease.46
Antioxidants help stop free radicals from harming our cells and DNA. Pomegranates have three times as many antioxidants as green tea, a popular source of antioxidants.7
A recent randomized controlled trial showed that pomegranate extract helped lower inflammation and blood pressure, in part due to the fruit’s antioxidant content.9
- Helps Lower Inflammation
Aging is linked to increased inflammation, which may also play a role in the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.9
Pomegranates may provide a low-cost way to reduce the inflammation associated with unhealthy aging.109
Other studies have shown that pomegranate’s anti-inflammatory effect can help people manage rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation throughout the body.1112
- Energy Boost
The sugars in pomegranates can provide a quick energy boost even if you don’t eat the fruit on an empty stomach.13
“Any time you consume fruit or a carbohydrate, a natural sugar, that is going to be a boost of energy with that. That’s just kind of carbohydrates 101,” Susie said.
- Supports Heart Health
Pomegranates are a heart-healthy fruit that may help lower blood pressure.9 Eating pomegranate seeds can up your fiber intake, which also helps prevent heart disease.14
These fruits help improve some cardiovascular risk factors, like inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, and HDL, the good cholesterol, Susie said.
What About Pomegranate Juice?
You can get nutrients from both pomegranate seeds and juice, but only the seeds provide fiber. One cup of seeds contains 19 grams of sugar and 6 grams of fiber, while one cup of juice has 34 grams of sugar and no fiber.1516
Because juice lacks fiber, drinking it on an empty stomach can raise blood sugar faster than eating the seeds. Fiber helps slow digestion and prevents rapid blood sugar spikes. Protein has a similar effect by slowing carbohydrate absorption.
“If you’re concerned about your blood sugar rising, opt for the seeds over the juice, and pair it with proteins, like Greek yogurt,” Susie said.
