Cranberries

Vaccinium macrocarpon

Other Names : Bearberry, Vaccinium erythrocarpum, Vaccinium macrocarpon, arando, Vaccinium erythrocarpum, bearberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, dingleberry, fenberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos, moorberry, mossberry, Veenbes
Cranberries, often thought of only around Thanksgiving and Christmas, offer more than just a light, flavorful holiday dish. They also offer many health benefits if implemented as an everyday supplemental regimen. Cranberry is a small evergreen bush with red berries and pale pink flowers, native to Northern Europe, Eastern Canada and Eastern United States. Cranberry can be found in the form of the fruit, juice, extract, pill and capsule. Cranberry pills are easily accessible and are found in most health food stores and online. In addition to being a less expensive alternative to prescription drugs, cranberry pills boost overall health and wellness.
See also : D-mannose

Special Precautions of Cranberries

• Stomach upset : While eating raw cranberries is safe, too much of the fruit may cause stomach upset. If you’re pressing raw cranberries into a juice, drink it in moderate amounts. One serving is typically considered 4 ounces (120 mL). Too much cranberry juice may cause stomach cramps or diarrhea, especially in children. This is because fructose, the type of sugar found in fruit, may have a laxative effect in large doses — though specific research on cranberry juice is lacking.
• People taking blood thinners like warfarin should speak with their doctor before eating a lot of cranberries, as this fruit may affect how your liver breaks down medications. As a result, you may bruise or bleed more easily. However, some findings suggest that this drug interaction occurs only with excessive doses of 4–8 cups (1–2 liters) of cranberry juice, or 3-gram doses of cranberry extract, per day.
• Cranberries are also high in oxalates, a naturally occurring compound that may cause kidney stones when combined with calcium. Although research is mixed, it’s safest to avoid large amounts of cranberries if you have a history of kidney stones.

The benefits of Cranberries are

• Promote General Health and Wellness : Because cranberries contain an abundance of natural antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols (phenols and flavonoids), they are beneficial in reducing the risks for many diseases and cancers, thereby promoting overall good health. The use of cranberry pills reduces low density lipoprotein oxidation which lowers the risk for heart disease. Cranberry pills are beneficial for flushing out the kidneys, reducing the risk for kidney stones. In addition, cranberry pills contain properties that inhibit bacteria from adhering to the teeth and gums, reducing the risk for plaque build-up and periodontal disease, according to the Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre.
• Prevent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) : One of the main benefits of cranberry pills is the prevention of the urinary tract infection (UTI), which is a common chronic health problem among women. Cranberry pills contain anti-adhesion properties within the antioxidants that prevent the bacteria (primarily E coli) from adhering to the bladder. A 2006 pilot study looked at twelve women between the ages of 25 and 70 with a history of UTIs to determine if a concentrated cranberry extract could prevent recurrent UTIs. During the study of administering the cranberry extract, none of the twelve subjects had a UTI. After a two-year follow-up, eight of the twelve women who continued to take the cranberry extract reported no UTI and no adverse effects. It was concluded that a cranberry preparation with a high phenolic content may completely prevent UTIs in women who are subject to recurrent infections.
• beats Bladder Infections : PACs (proanthocyanidin) in cranberry juice definitely serves as a preventative, but not necessarily as a cure : A high enough concentration of (PACs) makes the urinary tract skin cell surfaces too slippery for the E. coli bacteria to adhere.
• Candidiasis : Cranberries have a unique antioxidant makeup of polyphenols and proanthyocyanidins that can effectively prevent the development of protective biofilms.
• Jock Itch Relief : Jock itch, a rash of the groin that results from a superficial fungal infection of the skin, is a common uncomfortable problem caused by heat, humidity, damp folds of the skin, or tight clothing. Cranberry pills help to alleviate jock itch discreetly. Cranberry pills contain vitamins and nutrients that can help to restore the pH balance and reduce the inflammation that causes jock itch.
• Flu : Cranberries give your immune system a friendly boost by improving T-cell function. T-cells regulate virtually every aspect of the immune response. Mainstream media certainly doesn't report it, but cranberries are a natural alternative to flu vaccines.
• Detox the Body : Cranberry pills are beneficial for detoxing the body of harmful organisms that overload the body and stop the body's natural cleansing system from working efficiently. Cranberries contain bacterial anti-adhesion properties that keep the body clean from toxins. Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamin K, dietary fiber, manganese, potassium, vitamin A, and proanthocyanidin that assist in cleansing and flushing out the kidneys. In addition, cranberry pills are beneficial in cleansing the lymphatic system, assisting in the elimination of fat and neutralizing the body's waste products as the toxins are carried away from the body's cells and tissues, according to the website Detox for Life.
• Preventing Cancer : loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, the cancer-preventive benefits of cranberry are especially likely in the case of breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. Also good source of Cyanidin.