Africa: Pomegranate May Have Promising Health Benefits, but No Evidence Fruit Can Prevent or Treat Cancer

Pomegranate may have promising health benefits, but no evidence fruit can prevent or treat cancer

IN SHORT: While there may be promising studies on the effects on pomegranate on cancerous cells in-vitro and in animals, there is no evidence that the fruit can prevent, treat or cure cancer, as claimed by multiple Facebook posts.

Posts claiming that pomegranate can prevent and treat cancer have been circulating widely on Facebook in South Africa.

“The benefits of #pomegranate are numerous, including preventing + treating cancer with nutrition,” one post says.

Some claim that the fruit can keep the body strong against cancer, by reducing cancer cells and inflammation and influencing how tumours develop and spread.

Others claim the fruit plays a “vital role in prevention and treatment” of several cancers.

The pomegranate fruit, Punica granatum, is a thick-skinned berry with a leathery reddish rind and hundreds of edible crimson seeds.

Africa Check has debunked several false claims about various fruits’ supposed ability to prevent and cure cancer.

So what’s the truth here? We investigated.

Cancer a leading cause of death worldwide

Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. It can start almost anywhere in the body’s trillions of cells.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with the most common cancers being lung, breast, colon and prostate.

There are over 100 types of cancers, classified into three broad categories:

Solid cancers: The most common type of cancer; includes carcinoma that forms in epithelial tissue (such as the skin, breast, colon and lungs) and sarcoma that forms in bone and connective tissues.
Blood cancers: Cancers that start in the blood cells or lymphatic system, such as leukemia and lymphoma.
Mixed: Cancers that involve two classifications or subtypes, such as carcinosarcoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.

In low- and lower-middle-income countries, cancer-causing infections, such as the human papillomavirus, are responsible for about 30% of cancer cases.

The Facebook posts claim that pomegranate can prevent and treat cancer, although they do not differentiate what type. Could this be true?

Pomegranate shows promise in cancer studies, but not cure or replacement for treatment

Scientific research has found that pomegranate contains compounds which may have promising anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Some of these studies include:

A 2017 in-vitro study on pomegranate-derived products with respect to their anti-cancer properties.
A 2023 animal study on pomegranate fruit extract as a tumour reduction in carcinoma-bearing mice.
Several preclinical (laboratory) studies suggesting pomegranate juice may suppress inflammatory cell signaling and prostate tumor growth.

However, none of these studies have proven that pomegranate alone can prevent, treat or cure cancer.

These studies were also largely performed in laboratory settings with in-vitro or animal studies, as human clinical trials remain relatively limited.

No one-size-fits-all prevention or treatment for cancer

As we have previously made clear in many cancer cure debunks, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment or prevention for cancer. These depend on the type, stage and progression of each cancer.

There are certain lifestyle choices that can affect the chances of getting cancer, and therefore some cancers can be prevented with lifestyle changes.

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