Cranberries: A small, reddish fruit with wonderful protective properties

April 1, 2014   

Red cranberries are closely related to blueberries, which are purple-blue in color, and together they belong to the berry family.

Cranberries got their name from the first settlers in North America, who found a similarity between the fruit and the red color that adorns the head of the Crane. Cranberries were part of the Native American diet, and the settlers of the New World were happy to adopt them and even made the red berries a traditional ingredient at the Thanksgiving meal. Cranberries first arrived in Europe in 1812, and quickly gained popularity in Russia and the Scandinavian countries, where they began to be grown.

The medicinal value of cranberries was already known to the Native Americans, who used them to cure and treat various diseases. In modern times, various researchers include cranberries in the list of the healthiest foods, due to their rich and unique nutritional composition. In the last 30 years, many studies have been published, proving that the small, reddish fruit has a miraculous protective ability against various diseases.

1. Cranberries prevent oxidative damage. Cranberries contain powerful antioxidants - proanthocyanidins and polyphenols - which contribute to increasing protection and preventing oxidative damage to various cells in the blood vessels and heart, skin, brain, and more.

2. Cranberries neutralize bacteria The proanthocyanidins found in cranberries have a unique structure, thanks to which a mechanism is created that prevents bacteria from adhering to the cell walls throughout the digestive and urinary tract. In this way, cranberries help neutralize the harmful activity of bacteria. 3. Cranberries prevent urinary tract infections Cranberries help prevent urinary tract infections. Once again, thanks go to the unique proanthocyanidins, which prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder and multiplying. As a result, the bacteria are washed out in the urine and the risk of infection decreases. Many studies have already confirmed that drinking a glass of cranberries, once or twice a day, can reduce urinary tract infection by 20 percent and prevent recurrent infections by 40 percent. Another study published in the journal JAMA found that the effect of cranberries on preventing bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract can last up to 10 hours after consumption. 4. Cranberries reduce the risk of ulcers Cranberries reduce the risk of peptic ulcers in the stomach, which originate from the activity of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. During periods of stress, tension, an unbalanced diet, and with age, the tendency to become infected with the bacteria increases. As described earlier, cranberry juice inhibits the attachment of bacteria to the walls of the urinary tract and the walls of stomach cells. As a result, the bacteria slip out of the body and do not multiply. According to various studies, drinking two glasses of cranberry juice (about 500 ml) may prevent infection with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach in both adults and children. Cranberries also contribute to reducing the risk of developing inflammation and stomach ulcers – which increase the risk of stomach cancer. 5. Cranberries lower bad cholesterol Cranberries may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as they can delay and suppress the oxidation of bad cholesterol. According to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition and other studies, drinking cranberry juice on a daily basis reduces the level of oxidation of bad cholesterol LDL in the blood, contributes to an increase in the level of good cholesterol HDL, which protects the blood vessels, and thus contributes to reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

 6. Cranberries fight cancer cells Another property attributed to cranberries is their ability to inhibit the proliferation and growth of cancer cells – according to studies conducted in the laboratory and on animals. One study conducted at Ohio University in the United States showed the effect of cranberry juice on esophageal cancer cells grown in cell culture in the laboratory. Exposing cancer cells to cranberry juice destroyed cells and stopped their spread by about 44 percent, compared to cancer cells that were not exposed to cranberries. Researchers link these effects to cranberries’ special antioxidants called proanthocyanidins.

7. Cranberries prevent tooth decay and gum disease The effect of cranberries is well-known and continues to be studied in all matters related to oral health and the prevention of oral diseases. Many studies conducted in recent years have focused on the activity of special polyphenols found in cranberries and their role in inhibiting and preventing the adhesion of certain bacteria found in the oral cavity to the teeth. In this way, they reduce and inhibit the risk of developing gum disease and tooth decay. 8. Cranberries prevent flu infection It is not yet advisable to give up the flu vaccine, but it may be possible in the distant future to fight the flu with cranberries. According to a first-of-its-kind Israeli study conducted at the Hebrew University, the active components in cranberries and their antibacterial effect prevented the flu virus from adhering to the cell wall - thus preventing infection with the disease. This effect was found even at a dose 20 times smaller than that found in cranberry nectar. Further studies are still needed to confirm this effect, and it has not yet been found to be a miracle drink against the flu, but the researchers certainly conclude that cranberry drink can also have therapeutic implications for the flu virus.

If, after all these reasons, you still have doubts about cranberries and their contribution to health, here are some more details about their nutritional value: In addition to the antioxidants mentioned above, cranberries are also rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and potassium.

Published by Clalit Pension Fund.

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