Cranberries belong to the same family as heathers and are native to the northeastern corner of North America. Cranberries are grown in swamps and bogs, and production peaks in September and October; the round, red fruits are available fresh or canned. In addition to the energy, fiber and vitamin C they offer your diet, cranberries are rich in phytochemicals. These compounds, specifically proanthocyanidins, act as antioxidants and support your immune system by helping prevent disorders such as urinary tract infections.
Carbohydrates
A cup of whole cranberries supplies about 12 g of carbohydrate, predominantly as sugars your body can use for energy. These sugars provide virtually the entire caloric content of cranberries, with only 46 calories per cup. The bulk of the sugars are glucose and fructose, carbohydrates that do not require digestion because they are already small enough to be absorbed by your small intestine. Therefore, your tissues can readily use this fuel source to power your activities. Your muscles, brain and kidneys in particular depend on the energy from carbohydrates to function optimally.
Fiber
In addition to sugars, a 1-cup serving of whole cranberries contributes nearly 5 g of fiber to your diet. Because dietary fiber is indigestible, you do not derive nutrients from it. However, it is critical to your digestive health because of the bulk it provides to the waste products moving through your intestinal tract. The bulk helps regulate digestion and reduces your likelihood of experiencing constipation. The fiber in cranberries can help you feel full after eating, and it also lowers your risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Vitamins and Minerals
The primary vitamin in cranberries is vitamin C, with 1 cup offering 13 mg, or approximately 15 percent of your recommended daily intake. Vitamin C adds to the antioxidant properties of the proanthocyanidins in cranberries, helping your cells recover from environmental stress. Vitamin C also helps tissues heal following an injury. In addition to low levels of several B vitamins, cranberries offer minor amounts of the minerals iron, zinc and manganese.
Other Nutrients
Cranberries, as with many fruits, provide your diet with moisture, as they contain nearly 90 percent water by weight. The water content of cranberries can help you maintain healthy hydration levels. This fruit, however, is quite low in protein and fat, contributing less than 1 g of each per cup. While both these macronutrients are essential for good health, the low fat content in cranberries can help you minimize your intake of calories if you are restricting calories as part of a weight-loss plan.
References
- The Cranberry Institute: Rediscover Cranberries
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; Macronutrients: The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat; March 2008
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center; Vitamins and Minerals; March 2008
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Best Foods for Specific Vitamins; November 2006
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