Can pomegranates really add years to your life?
Last week, Swiss scientists suggested that the Middle Eastern fruit may strengthen ageing muscles and add years to your life. This is down to chemicals called ellagitannins, which are found in high levels in the fruit. Our gut bacteria turn these chemicals into a compound called urolithin A, which helps keep the mitochondria (tiny battery packs that power the body’s cells) charged. In lab studies, worms and mice given urolithin A lived longer and ran further. Some experts warn it’s too early to say the same would happen with humans.
