It seems like everything is flavored with pomegranates these days, from juices to teas to gum. The round, reddish fruits are even being hailed as one of the latest superfoods. As tasty and gorgeous (and messy) as this voluptuous fruit is, just what is the entire buzz about pomegranates about? Are they that great of a health food for you?

Indeed they are. Not only are pomegranates a good source of vitamin C (providing about 16% of your daily requirements) as well as vitamins A, E and B_5; they also provide lots of potassium, fiber, calcium, folic acid and iron. They also contain antioxidant polyphenols, which may help fight free radicals in the body.

An entire pomegranate—and these are massive fruits!—has just 105 calories, making it a delicious and healthy snack that packs a punch.

Though pomegranate juice isn’t the most antioxidant-rich juice compared with other herbs and spices, it’s still pretty packed, with beta-carotene, catechins, gallocatechins, and various anthocyanins, all of which may have health benefits to humans.

Eating pomegranates or drinking pomegranate juice may have the following health benefits:

Drinking pomegranate juice may help reduce heart disease, reduce blood pressure, stop viral infections , prevent blood clots from forming and even fight dental plaque.

A traditional use of pomegranate juice is to stop diarrhea.

Pomegranates may help hinder the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Some researchers claim that pomegranate seeds can help push fats out of the digestive tract, making them an optimal snack for dieters.

Eating pomegranate seeds may help boost your immune system and keep blood lipid levels healthy.

Pomegranate seed oil may help fight off breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Pomegranates may help ward off diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Pomegranate juice and extracts may help relieve menopause symptoms.

Research has found that drinking 8 ounces of pomegranate juice a day for three months can improve the amount of oxygen that reaches the heart.

Said to slow the aging process, the fruit is supposed to neutralize seven times as many free radicals as green tea as well as twice as many as red wine.

Long-term drinking of pomegranate juice may help stop erectile dysfunction. (Do I sense an aphrodisiac here?)

For instructions on how to eat a pomegranate and more information, click here. Also, like grapefruit juice, pomegranates may interfere with certain medications; ask your doctor before taking any new medications, and if you are currently on any, be sure to mention it as well.