Cranberries: The Little Red Powerfood with a Big Punch

Cranberries are also called ‘bounceberries’ because they bounce when ripe.

Only three fruits – the blueberry, the Concord grape and the cranberry can trace their roots to North American soil. The cranberry is versatile; they are commonly consumed during Thanksgiving and Christmas but can, and should be used every day.

Did you know?

Sex and the City made the red juice of cranberries popular in the 90s with their favorite cranberry cocktail.
The estimated value of cranberries grown in the United States is several hundred million dollars
Native Americans treated a variety of illnesses, including bladder infections, with cranberry preparations.

Nutritional Tips: Cranberries are high in vitamin C, and have antioxidant and antibacterial effects in the body.

Benefits of the Cranberry:

Are a rich source of the flavonoid quercetin which can inhibit the development of both breast and colon cancers.
Preliminary studies show that drinking cranberry juice is good for the health of the heart.
Research indicates that cranberries are an excellent source of antioxidants which may protect against cancer, heart disease and other diseases.
Found to decrease production of cavity and plaque producing bacteria in your mouth.
Also found to reduce the bacteria associated with peptic stomach ulcers.
In clinical studies cranberries have been shown to help maintain a healthy urinary tract.
Are especially beneficial to the eyes (significantly improve symptoms of cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy)
New evidence on how cranberry juice fights bacteria that cause urinary tract infections http://t.co/4VjPEPb

The health benefits of cranberries, is almost totally depleted when generous amounts of sugar is added. Thus the cranberry cannot provide you with it’s full phytonutrient benefits when there has been lots of sugar added.

Further health explanation of what cranberries do:

Cranberries contains natural chemicals that act as antibacterial agents and preventing E. Coli which is the bacteria largely responsible for urinary tract infections, from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. The chemicals in cranberry juice flush the E. Coli from the body during urination thus it is not able to cause an infection.
Cranberries contain quinic acid which prevents calcium and specific phosphate chemicals from binding together. These two binding together is what forms kidney stones thus preventing kidney stones.