Cranberries, packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, offer a variety of health benefits. A common ingredient in festive sauces and garnishes -- as well as in juices and drinks -- cranberries are rarely eaten raw. Eating raw cranberries is not only safe, but is the best way to avail yourself of the nutrients they have to offer. However, many people are discouraged by the mouth-puckering tartness. Combining cranberries with sweeter foods, such as oranges, may make them more palatable; you may even find yourself developing a taste for this tangy little berry.
The Basics
A cup of raw cranberries contains 0.39 g of protein, 0.13 g of fat, 12.20 g of carbohydrates, 4.6 g of dietary fiber and 4.04 g of natural sugars, primarily in the form of glucose and fructose. Cranberries are low in salt, low in fat, high in fiber and cholesterol-free. With a reasonable 194 calories per cup, cranberries are a dieter's ally; their abundant level of fiber can create a feeling of fullness and help prevent overeating. Cranberries are a good source of potassium, offering up 85 mg per cup; this essential mineral is vital to maintaining stable blood pressure. They also provide healthy amounts of antioxidant vitamin C -- with 13.3 mg per cup -- as well as 0.36 mg per cup of manganese, a trace mineral that helps the body produce superoxide dismutase, a potent antioxidant.
Benefits
Cranberries are rich in cyanidins, anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidant plant pigments that prevent cell damage by scavenging destructive free radicals. Other beneficial phytochemicals include catechins -- also present in green tea -- and the antioxidant compound quercetin. Cranberries also provide 36 mcg of beta-carotene -- converted to vitamin A in the body -- per cup, as well as 91 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin, a pair of carotenoids that can help prevent macular degeneration, an age-related eye disease. Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports that cranberries fight urinary tract infections by preventing the pathogen E. coli from sticking to urinary epithelial cells. Due to their high levels of proanthocyanins, cranberries are being investigated for possible treatment in heart disease and cancer.
Research
In a scientific review published in 2008 in "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews," R.G. Jepson and J.C. Craig of the University of Stirling Cancer Care Research Centre analyzed the results of 10 different clinical studies and noted that cranberry products significantly reduced the incidence of urinary tract infections, particularly in women with recurrent UTIs. Jepson and Craig called for further studies to explore optimum dosages.
Usage and Considerations
If cranberries' tartness prevents you from nibbling on them unadorned, try them in a relish. The website Benefits of Resveratrol advises mixing 2 c. chopped raw cranberries with two skinned and cored chopped apples and one large, unpeeled, sectioned seedless orange. You can sweeten the relish with up to 1 c. of sugar; obviously, the more sugar you use, the less healthy the recipe becomes. Refrigerate, then serve in a clear bowl to showcase the vivid colors.
Cranberries are generally recognized as safe when used as a food at normal consumption, even for pregnant women. Very large doses of cranberries can cause diarrhea. Consult your doctor before using cranberries.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Cranberry Information
- USDA National Nutrient Database
- "Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews"; Cranberries For Preventing Urinary Tract Infections; R.G. Jepson, et al.; January 2008
- Benefits of Resveratrol: Cranberry Relishes
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Manganese; UMMC Staff; June 2009
- Medrounds.org; Lutein/Zeaxanthin; James C. Folk, August 2005
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