The tart, bright red cranberry is one of three fruits indigenous to North America. Early Native American tribes used cranberries for treating wounds and as a dye for rugs and blankets. Cranberries, which are regaled for their medicinal properties and bittersweet taste, are also used as novelty decorations during autumn and winter seasons. Cranberries offer an array of health benefits for digestive, urinary and cardiovascular systems. For an added health boost, try blending a cup of raw, fresh cranberries with a cup of your favorite bottled water.
Urinary Tract Support
The antioxidant activities of flavonoids found in cranberries are the main reason for the fruit's success in treating urinary tract infections. Life Extension magazine states that compounds in cranberries prevent bacteria that has traveled up the urethra and into the bladder from attaching to the urinary tract lining. Research by the University of Barcelona supports this in a study that determined the effectiveness of cranberry extract for preventing E. coli bacteria from adhering onto urothelial cells.
Peptic Ulcer Prevention
A study on the efficacy of cranberry juice on H. pylori bacteria conducted by Peking University and the Beijing Institute for Cancer Research found that 500 mL of cranberry juice daily reversed positive H. pylori results in subjects aged 11 to 48 after 90 days. Researchers believe the ability of cranberry to prevent bacteria adherence works effectively on peptic ulcers, which generally originate as stomach or upper intestinal infections and often lead to gastric cancer.
Cardiovascular Health
Moderate levels of vitamin C in cranberry juice offer a major boost in antioxidants that protect the heart and arteries from cellular damage. Vitamin C also aids the production of collagen, a protein necessary for creating healthy blood vessels. According to research conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, the polyphenols found in cranberries prevent cardiovascular diseases by reducing the oxidation of cholesterol and blood pressure and inhibiting blood clots in blood vessels.
References
- Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association: History of Cranberries
- Life Extension Magazine: Super Foods: Cranberries
- "Spanish Archives of Urology": Effect of American Cranberry on E. Coli Adherence to Bladder Epithelial Cells
- "Helicobacter": Efficacy of Cranberry Juice on H. Pylori Infection
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin C
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