Cranberries

Fresh Cranberries Aren’t Just For Thanksgiving

Healthy Cranberries!

It’s getting close to Thanksgiving, the time when most people think of fresh cranberries. The words “cranberry” and “Thanksgiving” just seem to go together.

Of course, women are also apt to think of cranberries at other times of the year If they suffer from a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), knowing that cranberry juice helps. But by and large, most of the time we equate cranberries with Thanksgiving.

And that’s too bad. Cranberries are a super health food. We should be eating them year round!

Cranberries Nutrition

What’s so great about cranberries?

Well, for one thing, they’re rich in fiber. That’s always a good thing to keep the old digestive system moving.

They’re also rich in vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. They contain several phytonutrients. In fact, cranberry juice ranks among the highest juices for antioxidants. (Just FYI, Concord Grape juice tops the list.)

Cranberries Health Benefits

And yes, studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice to help a UTI isn’t just an old wives tale. It really works.

Not only that, studies are showing cranberries have antibacterial properties.

“We are beginning to get a picture of cranberry juice and, in particular, the tannins found in cranberries, as potentially potent antibacterial agents,” Camesano said. “These results are surprising and intriguing, particularly given the increasing concern about the growing resistance of certain disease-causing bacteria to antibiotics.”

Multiple studies have shown that some of the phytonutrients in cranberries, flavonoids, are helpful in the fight against cancer, heart disease, and periodontal disease.

Cranberry nutrients are also good for digestive health. Cranberry juice inhibits the bacteria H. pylori that is associated with peptic ulcers, stomach cancer, and gastritis.

Eat Cranberries!

Cranberries are one of the few fruits native to the United States. They’re at their peak from October through December. These facts are probably the biggest reasons cranberries and Thanksgiving just seem to go together.

Fresh cranberries have the most beneficial nutrients, but frozen cranberries are a great substitute. (Hint: buy bags of fresh cranberries when they’re on sale after Thanksgiving and throw them in your freezer.) Also, cranberry juice and dried cranberries can be found year round.

However you choose to eat cranberries, they’re full of good stuff, so include them in your diet year round as another easy health food and worthy