THE ANATOMY OF NOURISHMENT
The Cranberry
By Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®
Roll with the cranberry; you cannot go wrong.
The cranberry is a perky little berry, only in season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The fresh fruit is generally available from September to December. But, not to worry; it can be purchased frozen and kept for up to 10 months in your freezer. This is welcome relief if you adore this bright red snappy berry.
Americans eat 400 million pounds of cranberries a year with 20 percent of that number being eaten on Thanksgiving Day.
The cranberry is an integral part of American cooking, and is harvested throughout the Fall.
The cranberry is a native American Indian fruit. The Pilgrims learned about cranberries from these Native Americans, who recognized their natural preservative power (benzoic acid), and often mixed them into pemmican (dried meat mixture) to extend its shelf life.
Cranberries are too tart to eat raw, so they are often married with other fruits, such as apples and pears, and with nuts and grains. They are available in a wide variety of forms including fresh fruit, juice, sauce, and dried. Juices and sauce are available year-round at your grocery retailer.
Most people eat cranberries because they are delicious, but they also have a reputation for warding off urinary-tract infections. Studies have found promising results for cancer prevention.
Cranberry juice is recommended for urinary tract infections. In 1998, researchers at Rutgers found that cranberry juice prevents E. coli bacteria from sticking to the cells of the urinary tract. Cranberry causes the bacteria to get flushed out of the body via the urine.
Scientific research is revealing how healthful cranberries can be. Packed with nutrients like antioxidants and other natural compounds, cranberries are a great choice for the health-conscious consumer.
Cranberries contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, organic acids and various other phytonutrients.
Cranberries are a good source of vitamin A, C, B complex, Folic Acid and Fiber. Also included are the minerals Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Sulfur.
There is more to the cranberry than just vitamins.
Cranberries contain plant pigments called bioflavanoids, which help repair damaged molecules formed when the body uses up oxygen. They also contain hippuric acid, which has antibacterial effects on the body, as well as natural antibiotic ingredients.
In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists, and published in Planta Medica, demonstrated the potential anti-carcinogenic properties of cranberries.
The majority of physicians and other health professionals believe there is a clear association between a diet high in fruits and vegetables and a low risk of chronic disease.
Phytonutrients (naturally derived plant compounds), particularly antioxidants, are increasingly being shown to help optimize human health.
Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) that can prevent the adhesion of certain of bacteria, including E. coli, to the urinary tract wall. The anti-adhesion properties of cranberry may also inhibit the bacteria associated with gum disease and stomach ulcers.
Recent scientific research shows that cranberries and cranberry products contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
Cranberries also contain a potent vasodilator which opens up bronchial tubes. And you can count on cranberries for a good source of Vitamin C to help enhance immunity and aid in calcium absorption.
Cranberries have so many medicinal benefits and uses, so eat up, and feel free to do so all year round.
The Cranberry
By Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®
Roll with the cranberry; you cannot go wrong.
The cranberry is a perky little berry, only in season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The fresh fruit is generally available from September to December. But, not to worry; it can be purchased frozen and kept for up to 10 months in your freezer. This is welcome relief if you adore this bright red snappy berry.
Americans eat 400 million pounds of cranberries a year with 20 percent of that number being eaten on Thanksgiving Day.
The cranberry is an integral part of American cooking, and is harvested throughout the Fall.
The cranberry is a native American Indian fruit. The Pilgrims learned about cranberries from these Native Americans, who recognized their natural preservative power (benzoic acid), and often mixed them into pemmican (dried meat mixture) to extend its shelf life.
Cranberries are too tart to eat raw, so they are often married with other fruits, such as apples and pears, and with nuts and grains. They are available in a wide variety of forms including fresh fruit, juice, sauce, and dried. Juices and sauce are available year-round at your grocery retailer.
Most people eat cranberries because they are delicious, but they also have a reputation for warding off urinary-tract infections. Studies have found promising results for cancer prevention.
Cranberry juice is recommended for urinary tract infections. In 1998, researchers at Rutgers found that cranberry juice prevents E. coli bacteria from sticking to the cells of the urinary tract. Cranberry causes the bacteria to get flushed out of the body via the urine.
Scientific research is revealing how healthful cranberries can be. Packed with nutrients like antioxidants and other natural compounds, cranberries are a great choice for the health-conscious consumer.
Cranberries contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, organic acids and various other phytonutrients.
Cranberries are a good source of vitamin A, C, B complex, Folic Acid and Fiber. Also included are the minerals Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Sulfur.
There is more to the cranberry than just vitamins.
Cranberries contain plant pigments called bioflavanoids, which help repair damaged molecules formed when the body uses up oxygen. They also contain hippuric acid, which has antibacterial effects on the body, as well as natural antibiotic ingredients.
In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists, and published in Planta Medica, demonstrated the potential anti-carcinogenic properties of cranberries.
The majority of physicians and other health professionals believe there is a clear association between a diet high in fruits and vegetables and a low risk of chronic disease.
Phytonutrients (naturally derived plant compounds), particularly antioxidants, are increasingly being shown to help optimize human health.
Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs) that can prevent the adhesion of certain of bacteria, including E. coli, to the urinary tract wall. The anti-adhesion properties of cranberry may also inhibit the bacteria associated with gum disease and stomach ulcers.
Recent scientific research shows that cranberries and cranberry products contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
Cranberries also contain a potent vasodilator which opens up bronchial tubes. And you can count on cranberries for a good source of Vitamin C to help enhance immunity and aid in calcium absorption.
Cranberries have so many medicinal benefits and uses, so eat up, and feel free to do so all year round.
© 1996-2009 Mark Isaac Thyss/Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.
For more articles about natural health and healing, please visit:
http://www.thegardenofhealing.com/
