If you've been watching women's television or checking for new skin care products on the shelves, you may have heard of pomegranates as the latest and greatest ingredient. With such a huge number of natural skin care products being promoted as containing the 'magic' ingredient that will get rid of wrinkles and restore that youthful look, it would be helpful to know more about pomegranates before you run down to the store and empty your wallet. Do pomegranates really have something so special to offer that you should make them a staple in your natural skin care larder?

Although pomegranates have been used for centuries in natural medicine in many parts of the world, we are only recently seeing it on the shelves here in the U.S. Hundreds of studies have been conducted on the pomegranate's healing power and, yes, the results are outstanding.

Pomegranate juice lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, improves cardiovascular function and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also enhances fertility, reduces the symptoms of menopause and has even been effective at slowing the spread of cancer cells. A recent study conducted by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that a daily glass of pomegranate juice slowed the growth rate of prostate cancer.

In addition to the many studies conducted on its internal use, new research has also proven it to be effective for topical natural skin care and we now have a few creams, lotions, cleansing products, masques available.

How do pomegranates benefit the skin? High in Vitamins A, C and E, the real magic is in its antioxidant content - no surprise really; the damage inflicted by free radicals is now well-known and acknowledged even by the most conservative in the medical establishment. The pomegranate's antioxidant content is very high, making it a shoo-in for natural skin care.

Dry skin, problem skin, aging skin, wrinkles - all can benefit from the pomegranate. It fights free radicals and stimulates the growth of collagen - vital for damaged, dry skin and tissue of any kind, and especially noticeable in its absence in the aging and wrinkled face.

If you don't have cleansers and exfoliating products that are working for you now or you would like to switch to the healthier alternative of natural skin care, by all means give the pomegranate a try. While you're at it, pick up a bottle of the juice. Internal and external natural skin care will increase your chances of deriving all the benefits.