by Carolyn Tytler

Created on: January 22, 2010

Cranberries are probably most famous today as the main ingredient in the tangy sauce which accompanies turkey at traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. However, centuries ago  they were valued by the native people for their health-giving and medicinal properties.

The Indians used them when making pemmican, a mixture of pulverized dried meat or fish mixed with hot fat and dried berries, then formed into loafs or small cakes. Pemmican was resistant to spoilage and handy to have when traveling.

Cranberries, blueberries and Concord grapes are the only fruits indigenous to North America. Today, commercial cranberry farms exist in nearly a dozen American states as well as in Quebec and British Columbia in Canada.

Contemporary scientists are rediscovering the health benefits these tangy, scarlet berries.

Cranberries and the Urinary Tract

Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and Rutgers University, in the 1990s, determined that components in the cranberry prevented bacteria causing urinary tract infections (UTI) from sticking to the cells in the urinary tract. Consequently, these harmful germs are soon flushed from the body.

Studies suggest that women can avoid UTIs by drinking a glass of cranberry cocktail twice a day. The anti-adhesion benefits start within two hours of ingesting the juice  and last for up to ten hours.

Cranberries and the Heart

Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in North America. A high cholesterol count is a risk factor for developing heart disease. According to studies done at the University of Scranton, drinking cranberry juice raises the amount of the good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood and lowers the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL). In addition, the total cholesterol count is lowered.

Cranberries are a heart-healthy food. They contain no fat, no cholesterol, and very little sodium. When eaten as part of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, they can be a significant factor in preventing the development of heart disease.

Cranberries and Blood Pressure

Maintaining a healthy blood pressure level can reduce the risk of stroke. It is known that a diet high in sodium raises blood pressure while a high potassium  diet reduces it. Cranberries are naturally low in sodium, while containing enough potassium to help maintain a healthy blood pressure level. 

Cranberries and the Stomach

Substances called tannins in cranberries may help prevent bacteria from adhering

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>