Study leader Dr. David Heber of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles said pomegranate juice ranked higher than other beverages that have recently been touted as containing superior levels of antioxidants such as acai juice and white and green teas.

The study, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, found that pomegranate juice is the leader in the healthy beverage category by demonstrating the most complete free radical scavenging activity, greater protection of low-density lipoprotein -- cholesterol from oxidation -- and the highest polyphenol content compared to red wine and several juices.

The antioxidant potency composite index of pomegranate juice was at least 20 percent greater than any other beverage included in the study.