Promotional labels for pomegranate juice could soon alert shoppers to the potential benefits the product may have on stress reduction.

A new study from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh discovered that workers may not suffer from as much anxiety in the workplace if they drink pomegranate juice every day.

Subjects were asked to consume 500 millilitres of the fruit drink each morning for two weeks, according to the Pomegreat-funded research.

After this time had elapsed, the people involved felt less pressurised than they did before and more able to cope with anxiety in the office.

This was down to a reduction in cortisol production and lower blood pressure.

"There is a justified argument for busy workers to drink pomegranate juice to help alleviate chronic stress and maintain good health," said lead researcher Dr Emad Al-Dujaili.

Bupa assistant medical director Dr Peter Mace recently recommended that managers should provide fruit in their staff canteens as a way of increasing health and wellbeing, so they may wish to stock up on pomegranate juice too.

Denny Bros Ltd, 08 June 2011