Cranberries: Tasty Nutritional Ingredients

Cranberries are a cousin of the blueberry. Cranberries are a native American fruit that thrive in the wetlands of a handful of northern U.S. states.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.
You can make salads with cranberries. You can grind them up and add oranges, apples, whatever other types of fruit, for a relish."

Or crush them for juice. Nadji Van Wychen says cranberries are becoming more popular worldwide.
Harvesting cranberries means getting into ponds with them
"We are in Germany, Japan, Mexico... We are entering into France and even venturing into China," she said.

Cranberries are good for you according to Lori Doebritsch, a dietitian at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

"Cranberries are actually very, very good for you. It is a fruit that is high in antioxidants. And antioxidants have very beneficial effects, for not only your heart, [but also] anti-cancer effects, so eating cranberries this time of year is a great way of getting those extra nutrients in your body."

While most Americans are not thinking about the nutritional benefits of Thanksgiving dinner, the cranberries and turkey may add to the health and the all-around good mood people have at Thanksgiving.

References: Allison DG, Cronin MA, Hawker J, Freeman S. Influence of cranberry juice on attachment of Escherichia colito glass. J Basic Microbiol. 2000;40(1):3-6.
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