Cranberries: 5 Things to Know About This Healthy, Colorful Fruit (2024)
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In the fall, the cranberry’s heyday begins. Harvest season is marked by a sea of red for many regions, and while top cranberry producer Wisconsin is the state most recognized for its cranberry crop, Maine and parts of Canada also contribute to global cranberry production. Maine alone produces approximately 2 millions pounds annually, and this year, the state’s production may exceed 2.5, owing to few pest challenges and obliging weather conditions.
Known for its colorful skin and flavor pizzazz, the cranberry is one of just three fruits native to North America, where it enjoys renown for its distinctly sweet-tart flavor and its irrevocable role in juices and as a holiday complement. The cranberry is also a contender when it comes to antioxidant content. While wild blueberries outperform them when it comes to measuring bothantioxidantcapacity and cellular antioxidant activity, cranberries pack their own health punch. Just by virtue of being a member of the high-antioxidant, free radical-fighting berry family, they are implicated in many benefits for the brain and cardiovascular system, and as a defense against some cancers. Eating cranberries is a key part of experiencing the rainbow of colors that nature provides to assist in disease prevention efforts.
If this intrepid berry has piqued your interest, your timing is right on target. Here are five things that will help you better understand and embrace a colorful fruit this season.
1) An Historical Remedy
It’s widely known that cranberries are a lauded home remedy for urinary tract infections. Research into whether cranberries have earned their reputation as a UTI treatment is ongoing, but studies have found that they do provide a defense against the bacteria responsible for UTIs, as do wild blueberries. The berry’s ability to prevent bacterial attachment may also provide benefits for ulcers, for example. Native Americans were well acquainted with this bacteria-preventing characteristic – they would crush up cranberries and use them as treatment for wounds.
2) Berries from the Bog
Cranberries are known for their unique growing and harvesting method in bogs. Cranberries actually grow on vines – they thrive in soft, marshy ground and grow naturally in areas that provide this environment. When cranberries ripen on the vines growing in these wetlands, farmers fill the area with water. A machine used to beat the water releases the cranberries from their vines, and they are left to float on the water’s surface, creating the crimson tide that we know as the cranberry bog. There, the floating berries are easy to collect and ship.
3) Scarlet, Frankly
Initially, cranberries are white (harvesting while the berries are still white explains white cranberries and white cranberry juice) and they take on their deep ruby color with ripening, thanks to anthocyanin, a phytonutrient that provides color and health benefits. Natural sunlight is the catalyst to increasing phytonutrient content in the cranberry – the more sun, the more powerful the berry’s health benefits. Anthocyanins, found in all berries, promote health by fighting cell damage and reducing inflammation, a risk factor in many health issues, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
4) Synergy
This red berry has more than spunk – it has synergy. Synergyis nature’s way of “packaging” nutrients that results in big health benefits. It occurs when components within the same food, or components between different foods, work together in a way that is more powerful than their effects would be separately. This heightened nutritional value supports disease prevention efforts and other aspects of health, such as weight loss. Some recent studies indicate that cranberries eaten whole rather than consumed as a liquid, dried, or in supplement form, for example, allow a synergistic reaction that heightens their dietary impact. (It’s the same with other foods like wild blueberries, a fruit that lends itself to being consumed whole if you are looking for a healthy, easy-to-eat alternative.) It’s another reason that buying the whole fruit is best for health – the special nutritional power of berries the way nature created them simply can’t be replicated.
5) Beyond the Bird
It might be early in the season to think about stuffing your Thanksgiving bird, but that’s no reason to wait to start enjoying cranberries. Berries of all kinds complete the health picture every day of the year by providing superb nutrition. And, cranberries are an excellent way to enjoy red-colored foods as we strive to eat across the color spectrum. Start welcoming them in your non-holiday recipes right now, in a Cranberry Relish for starters, to use in everyday sandwiches and sides. Enjoy a Cranberry Almond Cinnamon Tartto add zing to a meal, or bake Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies for the kids. Keep the trend going with Creamy Cranberry Salad to take full advantage of this colorful fruit. And, remember that you can substitute frozen wild blueberries for cranberries in many recipes.
Want a pie that packs and antioxidant punch? Please your palate with a Cranberry and Wild Blueberry Pie. Healthy eating never tasted so good!
What other fruits are native to North America?One is the wild blueberry, of course, indigenous to Maine and parts of Canada. The other is the Concord grape, which traces its history to nearby Concord, Massachusetts.
Cranberries are one of three commercially grown fruits native only to North America (along with Concord grapes and blueberries). Cranberries do NOT grow in water, they grow on low-lying vines along impermeable beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay.
They have all kinds of health-boosting benefits. Cranberries are well known for being rich in antioxidants. One study found that among 20 common fruits, cranberries have the highest level of phenols, a type of antioxidant. The anthocyanins found in cranberries may have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.
Many people consider cranberries to be a superfood due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content. In fact, research has linked the nutrients in cranberries to a lower risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), the prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
The Cranberries were an alternative rock band from Limerick, Ireland that formed in 1989 and rose to mainstream popularity in the early 1990's. The band consisted of Noel Hogan (guitar/vocals; also a member of Mono Band), Mike Hogan (bass/vocals), and Fergal Lawler (drums/percussion; also a member of The Low Network).
Several studies indicate that cranberry helps prevent UTIs of the bladder and urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder), especially for women who have frequent UTIs. In one study of older women, cranberry juice reduced the amount of bacteria in the bladder compared to placebo.
You can add them to smoothies or salads, or eat them whole. Eating raw cranberries is safe and easy, though their sharp, bitter flavor isn't for everyone. Be sure to clean and sort them thoroughly.
Cranberries are generally safe, but they can sometimes lead to upset stomach and diarrhea when eaten in large quantities, especially by young children. Mayo Clinic cautions against drinking cranberry juice if you're on a blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven).
Unsweetened, pure cranberry juice is a good source of both vitamin C and vitamin E. It's also a decent source of several other vitamins and minerals, including: vitamin C: 26% of the daily value (DV) vitamin E: 20% of the DV.
There are various health benefits of cranberry juice, including preventing infections, delaying or reducing the severity of chronic disease, and preventing age-related oxidative damage. Cranberry juice can also temporarily make conditions, such as acid reflux, worse because it is mildly acidic.
Cranberries are a native North American fruit and a Thanksgiving staple for many families. Cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, specifically from a subclass of flavonoids called proanthocyanidins, which are unique to and abundant in cranberries.
Cranberries contain essential fatty acids.These fatty acids help firm and tighten the skin, allowing your natural beauty and youthful glow to take center stage. The presence of omega 3 and 6 can also help fight off eczema symptoms. The vitamin C within cranberries is essential to collagen production.
You may be wondering, “is it ok to take cranberry pills every day?” The vast majority of people experience no problems when taking cranberry tablets. However, there have been instances of people suffering from stomach aches, abdominal pain, and increased frequency of urination.
Although cranberry juice is safe to consume in moderation, drinking too much can cause side effects such as upset stomach, diarrhea, and blood sugar spikes. In the past, it was believed that cranberry juice can slow the growth of bacteria and therefore is useful in treating urinary tract infections.
Scientists think cranberry juice can help prevent pyelonephritis by interfering with bacteria sticking to the kidney walls, too. Cranberry juice that's unsweetened or low in sugar are the best options. Too much sugar can increase blood sugar and blood pressure, both of which can be harmful to your kidneys.
The Pilgrims gave this fruit the name "crane berry" because its pink blossom reminded them of the head of a crane, a large wading bird. Over the years its name has been shortened to cranberry.
Harvesting, they flood the bogs to take advantage of one of the unique aspects of cranberries. Cranberries are hollow and they float. They flood the bogs, they cut the cranberries from the vine, and then scoop them up in large vacuums. In fact, some growers use helicopters to assist with the harvest.
Wampanoag People across southeastern Massachusetts have enjoyed the annual harvest of sasumuneash - wild cranberries - for 12,000 years. Some ate berries fresh while others dried them to make nasampe (grits) or pemmican - a mix of berries, dried meat and animal fat which could last for months.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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