Cranberries, a product of low swampy areas and bogs, range in color from orange to a deep dark red and are the size of large blueberries, a plant of the same genus. Almost all the cranberries in commercial production are grown in the United States and Canada and very few are sold fresh. Instead, most cranberries are available in dried form or processed into sauces. Cranberry juice is a refreshing beverage with a variety of purported health-boosting properties, including some particularly beneficial for heart health. Consult with a health care provider before starting any new treatments.
Antioxidants
A rich source of polyphenol antioxidants, cranberries offer several important benefits for your heart and cardiovascular system, according to researchers in the Nutritional Sciences Department at Oklahoma State University. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, cranberry juice increased antioxidant capacity and decreased oxidized lipids in volunteers with metabolic syndrome -- a combination of conditions that increases risk for cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels and markers for inflammation were not affected by cranberry juice, in this study, published in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Nutrition Research."
Artery Health
Cranberries decreased cardiovascular risk and improved arterial flexibility and blood flow in a study published in the May 2011 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Participants in the study, all with coronary artery disease, drank 480 mL of double-strength cranberry juice per day for four weeks. Results showed improved velocity of blood flow. In one portion of the study, a single dose of 480 mL of cranberry juice improved dilation of the brachial artery -- the artery that supplies the arm -- within four hours.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids in cranberries inhibit tissue-destroying enzymes, known as matrix metalloproteinases, that are involved in the development of high blood pressure and atherosclerotic plaque formation, say researchers of a study published in the December 2009 issue of the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." In the study, participants drank increasing amounts of cranberry juice over three four-week periods. Significant decreases in matrix metalloproteinases and in nitrate compounds were noted. Blood pressure also decreased in association with cranberry juice consumption. Researchers concluded that flavonoid-rich foods such as cranberries can offer cardioprotective benefits.
Chemotherapy
Cranberry juice may protect against heart damage from the cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, say researchers of a study published in the May 2010 issue of the journal "Food and Chemical Toxicology." In the laboratory animal study, doses of 100 mg of cranberry extract per kg of body weight prevented depletion of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase and accumulation of malondialdehyde and oxidized proteins in heart tissue. Researchers concluded that the benefits can be attributed to cranberry's antioxidant activity. Check with your doctor before treating any medical condition with cranberry juice.
References
- "Nutrition Research"; Low-Energy Cranberry Juice Decreases Lipid Oxidation and Increases Plasma Antioxidant Capacity in Women with Metabolic Syndrome; A. Basu, et al.; March 2011
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of Cranberry Juice Consumption on Vascular Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease; M. Dohadwala, et al.; May 2011
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinase (Mmp)-9 Levels Are Reduced Following Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Supplementation in Men; G. Ruel, et al.; December 2009
- "Food and Chemical Toxicology"; Cranberry (Vaccinium Macrocarpon) Protects Against Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity in Rats; A. Elberry, et al.; May 2010
Member Comments