Skip to content

The Best Antioxidant Drink

This ruby red beverage does more than just fight free radicals. It tastes great too!

In partnership with POM Wonderful

Antioxidants are a pretty awesome thing. These natural compounds support your body's process of protecting itself from unstable molecules called "free radicals" that can damage your cells over time.

"The world throws a lot at us, and everything from stress to pollution generates free radicals for the body to deal with on a cellular level," says Maggie Moon, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and associate vice president of nutrition communications for POM Wonderful. "Free radicals damage the body's cells and disrupt their normal function."

Your diet can help counteract these effects, as certain foods and drinks are known for their free radical-fighting antioxidants. Specifically, pomegranates are known for antioxidants and the original superfruit. While pomegranates are in their peak season during the winter months of October to January (which you should take advantage of in order to reap their benefits), you can get pomegranate juice, like that from POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, year-round.

Renowned for its antioxidants, pomegranate juice is a great choice for a boost in antioxidants. Here's why:

Pomegranate juice has, on average, more antioxidant potency than other popular drinks.

In fact, there are 700 milligrams of polyphenol antioxidants in every 8-ounce serving of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.

It has more antioxidants than four drinks known for their antioxidant content: red wine, Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, and green tea, according to an in-vitro study at UCLA. Specifically, POM Wonderful has three times the antioxidant power, on average, of green tea.

What's the benefit of pomegranate juice being one of these free-radical-fighting compounds? According to Moon, "Ounce for ounce, you'll get more antioxidants from pomegranate juice than those other drinks. It means you're making the most of your food and drink choices."

POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice comes from whole-pressed pomegranates.

The different parts of a fruit contain various types of antioxidants. For example, the ruby red arils of pomegranate have anthocyanins, and the hard rind and white pith have ellagitannins.

There is a benefit of consuming multiple types of foods known for antioxidants, according to Moon, who says "variety is a key tenet of nutrition because it makes it easier for you to get all the nutrients you need to be healthy, and that includes a variety of antioxidants."

Because POM Wonderful is whole-pressed, you can get the fighting power of a variety of antioxidants in every sip. Whole-pressing the pomegranate releases the polyphenols in the rind, pith, and arils to optimize the superfruit's potential antioxidant benefits.

Pomegranate juice has unique pomegranate polyphenols.

Fun fact: There isn't just one type of antioxidant. Rather, there are numerous types with a variety of potential benefits. Pomegranate juice, specifically, has unique pomegranate polyphenols that may be linked to fitness benefits. For example, the antioxidants in pomegranate juice may help increase nitric oxide bioavailability by protecting it from breaking down in the body, which helps your body get the oxygen and nutrients it needs for exercise.

Pomegranate juice is both a nutritious way to drink your antioxidants and a good source of potassium.

Another reason why pomegranate juice is the best drink for antioxidants is that it provides other nutrients to boot. Pomegranate juice is a good source of potassium, which is an important electrolyte for healthy muscle function. In fact, each 8-ounce serving of pomegranate juice has as much potassium as a medium banana!

POM Wonderful has no added sugars.

When you want to drink your antioxidants, you're going to want pure pomegranate juice, and that's why POM Wonderful is a great option. POM Wonderful doesn't use any preservatives, added sugar, or artificial sweeteners, which means its antioxidant goodness isn't diluted. It is, in fact, 100% juice, with every 16-ounce bottle containing the juice from four whole-pressed pomegranates.

"A 100% juice is always preferable over 'juice drinks,' which can contain added sugars," says Moon. "Americans consume too many added sugars, which is why the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommend we cut back. In contrast, all forms of fruits and vegetables—including 100% juice—help us get the nutrients we need. A good 100% juice that is as close to nature as possible, closest to the source, is your best bet to maximize benefits," says Moon.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a bottle of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice today to reap its antioxidant goodness!

Olivia Tarantino
Olivia Tarantino is the Managing Editor of Eat This, Not That!, specializing in nutrition, health, and food product coverage. Read more about Olivia
Filed Under