Fruit Scoop

if you're a health nut who's not already chug-ging pomegranate juice, get guzzling. Along with being packed with cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, a recent study by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine discovered the native Persian fruit also functions as a natural anti-inflammatory that helps fight off osteoarthritis. Current medical treatments do little to slow joint destruction in the estimated 20 million Americans who suffer from the effects of arthritis. But the Case study, printed in the September issue of the Journal of Nutrition, reports pomegranate extract inhibits arthritis by disabling the protein molecule IL-1b that causes inflammation and breaks down joint cartilage. The health benefits alone make a $3.99, 15-ounce bottle of POM Wonderful 100 percent pomegranate juice (which also comes in blueberry, cherry, mango and tangerine flavors) a solid investment in your future. Want to incorporate pomegranate into every meal? If you do, www.pomwonderful.com has the recipes ready.