The Effects of Consumption of Pomegranate Juice on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness

Inclusion Criteria: * Males between the ages of 45 and 74 and females between the ages of 55 and 74 years. * Subject has ≥ 1 of the following risk factors at Visit 1 (week -4 to -1): * current cigarette smoking (defined as any cigarette smoking within the past month) * hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg or using an antihypertensive medication) * low HDL cholesterol (\< 40 mg/dL) * high LDL cholesterol (≥ 130 mg/dL and \< 190 mg/dL), on statin therapy or not * Posterior wall common carotid IMT \> 0.7 mm and \< 2.0 mm at Visit 2 (week 0) with an adequate image on at least one side. * Subject understands the study procedures and signs an informed consent form. * Normally active and judged to be in good health on the basis of medical history, physical examination, and routine laboratory tests. Exclusion Criteria: * Use of any pharmacologic lipid-altering medications, besides statins (e.g., fibrate derivatives, bile acid binding resins, and niacin or its analogues at doses \> 400 mg/d) six weeks prior to Visit 1 * Body mass index \> 40 kg/m2. * Unstable use (\< 2 months prior to Visit 1) of any supplement known to alter lipid metabolism, including but not limited to: dietary fiber supplements (including \> 2 teaspoons Metamucil® or psyllium-containing supplement per day), omega-3 fatty acid supplements, sterol/stanol products, red rice yeast supplements, garlic supplements, soy isoflavone supplements or others at the discretion of the Investigator). * History of pomegranate consumption (either eating pomegranates or drinking pomegranate juice) within the past 6 months. * Clinical evidence or history of coronary heart disease (CHD) or CHD equivalents including: * diabetes mellitus, * angina, * myocardial infarction, * transient ischemic attack, * symptomatic carotid artery disease, * cerebrovascular accident, * coronary artery bypass grafting, * percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, * peripheral arterial disease, * abdominal aortic aneurysm, * ankle brachial index \< 0.90, * and/or a Framingham Risk Score ≥ 16 points for men and ≥ 23 points for women (10-year CHD risk \> 20%) * Active cancer, other than non-melanoma skin cancer, within the previous two years. * Prior diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B or hepatitis C. * Uncontrolled hypertension (average systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mm Hg and/or average diastolic blood pressure ≥ 100 mm Hg). * Untreated or unstable hypothyroidism (receiving stable dose therapy for \< 4.0 months). * Concomitant use of beta-adrenergic blockers or immunosuppressants * Concomitant use of estrogen or progestin therapy. * Allergy to pomegranates or pomegranate juice. * Known allergy to blood products. * Non-English speaking. * Active liver disease or hepatic dysfunction as defined by elevations of ≥ 2.0 x ULN at Visit 1 in any of the following liver function tests: ALT, AST or bilirubin. * Serum creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL recorded during screening period. * Recent history of (within past 12 months) or strong potential for alcohol or substance abuse. Alcohol abuse will be defined as \>14 drinks per week (1 drink = 12 oz beer, 4 oz wine, or 1 ½ oz distilled spirits). * Participation in another clinical study within 30 days prior to screening visit 1 (week -4 to -1). * Has a condition the Investigator believes would interfere with evaluation of the subject, or may put subject at undue risk. * Posterior wall common carotid IMT ≥ 2.0 mm on either side at Visit 2 (week 0).