Cranberries: Not Just For Thanksgiving Dinner

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Cranberries pack a big nutritional punch and can help fight disease, too. For years, women have been drinking cranberry juice to limit bladder infections. Now, scientist have discovered why it works. A natural component of the berry keeps infection-causing bacteria from sticking to urinary tract walls.

According to recent research, three 8-ounce glasses of cranberry juice daily, or two 300 to 400 milligram tablets or capsules of concentrated cranberry extract, helped prevent urinary tract infections in women prone to the condition. Sweetened or artificially sweetened cranberry juice seems to work, so long as it contains at least 27 percent cranberry juice.

Cranberries also contain a powerful antioxidant that may help prevent heart disease. One study found that low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail boosted HDL, or good cholesterol in a group of obese men. HDL reduces bad blood fats, such as LDL cholesterol.

The berries also are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and they retain their nutritional value even when dried, frozen, or pasteurized in juice. Here are a few ideas for using cranberries:

• Dried, on salads or cereals
• Frozen, in smoothies
• Baked in pies, breads, muffins, or stuffing
• Simmered as a sauce

Although adding cranberries to your diet is likely to be safe, check with your doctor if you're taking the blood thinner warfarin. You may need a lower dose or more frequent blood tests to check the medication's effect.

Copyright © Neil Harper
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