4 reasons why you should eat cranberries
"Cranberry? That's what you take for bladder infections, right?" Was that your first thought when you clicked on this blog post? You're probably not the only person with that. However, the little cranberry has quite a bit more going for it than that. Cranberry ingredients include organic acids and fiber. Compared to other types of fruit, its vitamin and mineral content is rather average - approx. 14 mg vitamin C per 100 g - but it scores with valuable antibacterial components. These properties make the cranberry a practical aid in the prevention of various diseases such as cancer or high blood pressure. We'll now reveal a few hot facts about the little red berry.
#1 Support for urinary tract infections
Since this fact is probably the best known about the cranberry, it can't be missed here. The sweet and sour berry exerts a supportive effect on the body for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections. But do you know why this is so? You'll be smarter in a minute! Although there are only a few studies that prove this effect exactly, the cranberry is said to have a healing effect especially on recurrent bladder infections. Namely, instead of only fighting the recurring bacteria like antibiotics do, cranberries are said to actively prevent pathogens from attaching to the mucous membranes of the urinary tract in the first place. This process is due to the ingredients in the sweet and sour cranberry anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. So if you're prone to urinary tract infections, cranberries could be the solution to this problem.
#2 Boost for your immune system
Especially during the windy cold season, cranberries are a welcome little helper. As soon as you notice that a cold is coming on, you should push your immune system and give it a vitamin C boost. Conveniently, one cup of cranberry provides you with about 22% of your recommended daily allowance. But don't just rely on taking cranberries! Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating healthy are even more important to staying fit and healthy.
#3 Improve digestion
Not only does love go through the stomach, but so does health. It's still a taboo subject for many people, but digestion is paramount when it comes to overall well-being. That's why it's important to eat the right nutrients and support your gut where you can. For example, fibre stimulates digestion. You've probably heard of this before, right? These fibre-rich food components are mainly found in plant-based foods and bind in the stomach. This results in a longer lasting feeling of satiety and gets the digestion moving. 100g of cranberries contain about 4.6 grams of fiber, so they're great for doing something good for your overall gut health.
#4 Inhibitor of cancer cell growth
Incredible, but true. Various studies have already looked at the cancer cell growth inhibiting effects of cranberries. The pigments pro-anthocyanins (PAC) have been found to be particularly effective. Due to their distorted metabolism, tumour cells produce free radicals. If there is an excess of these, they destroy themselves. For this reason, antioxidants are counterproductive inside the tumor cell. Rather, the tumor cell should produce more free radicals, which is caused, for example, by chemotherapy. Vitamin C inside the tumor cell also has a paradoxical effect. It produces even more toxic free radicals, whereas ascorbic acid has an antioxidant effect in healthy cells. The PAC of the cranberry also exhibits this paradoxical pro-oxidative effect in the cancer cell.
How can I incorporate cranberry into my diet?
So, now you've gotten quite a bit of information. If you don't have cranberries in your diet yet, you might be wondering how you can integrate them into your diet. You can eat the cranberry in its natural form, for example as a snack between meals. According to nutritionists, this is definitely the best way to absorb all the nutrients and antioxidants it contains. However, some people are put off by the tart taste of the berry, so here are a few suggestions on how you can incorporate the berry into your sweet routine:
- Cereal: Quite simply, you can add your cranberries to your cereal. Whether fresh or dried, they add a delicious sweetness and spice up your morning breakfast. But beware: dried fruits contain more sugar than fresh anyway. Therefore, make sure that they do not contain any additional sugar.
- Rice pan: Yes, you read that right. The little berries also add a real kick to a simple rice skillet. The sweet component adds a great flavor to the otherwise savory dish. Great idea to prepare the next rice dish just a little differently.
- Cranberry Booster: A very simple way to integrate the healthy cranberry into your everyday life is the Cranberry Wellness Shot from LiveFresh. The newest member of the booster family entices with its interaction with ginger with fruity sweetness and pleasant spiciness. The important plant substances of the cranberry and the miracle root result in the perfect little power package for the cold season.