Cranberry Juice Benefits
Cranberry juice benefits are widely recognised and cranberry as a fruit generally receives quite good press. I personally don’t believe that cranberry is a cure-all type super drug but also have no doubt about its various health benefits.
• Cranberries are small edible berries that grow in the wetlands in cooler countries and they are initially white but turn red once they become ripe.
• Cranberry juice was first made by American settlers in 1683.
• Some northern US states– especially Massachusetts and many Canadian provinces are major suppliers of cranberries, cranberry juices, cranberry sauces or anything to do with cranberries.
• Drinking anywhere from one to two glasses a day of cranberry juice provides health benefits.
• The antioxidant effects of cranberry juice may last for seven hours.
• Cranberry is possibly the most favorite fruit used in recipes of Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Cranberry Juice Benefits and Nutrition Facts:
• Cranberry juice is a wonderful detoxifier, being a great source of phytonutrient antioxidants such as quercetin, catechin and lutein as they help fight free radicals that cause diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• It includes good amounts of calcium for bones and teeth,and helps prevent osteoporosis.
• High antioxidant content in cranberry juice means it helps fight the damages from free radicals and it protects the body against the risk of developing age related conditions and diseases.
• Cranberry juice is known to improve the overall skin health and to even help with fighting the cellulite problem.
• As a probiotic, it can help the growth of friendly bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract and can help treating bacterial infections.
• Quinic acid in cranberries is found to help prevent the kidney stones.
• Proanthocyanidin compound stops the penetration of herpes virus into the body, hence prevents the occurence of genital herpes.
• Cranberries can help protect the brain from neurological damage as well as motor and cognitive function losses.
• It can help improve oral health by reducing the growth of bacteria that causes plaque, prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
• Being a good source of phytonutrients, polythenol antioxidants and fiber, cranberry juice can provide some protection against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
• It can help reduce levels of bad cholesterol– LDL and increase levels of good cholesterol- HDL.
• Enzymes and organic acids like malic, quinic and citric acids found in cranberry juice help emulsifying fat deposits in the body.
• Antioxidants found in cranberries are beneficial in preventing macular degeneration, a common problem in the elderly.
• Acids in cranberry juice are also known to help prevent urinary tract infections, by not allowing harmful bacteria to stick to the walls of the bladder and cause infections.
Selecting and Serving Cranberry Juice:
• The best cranberry juice is the 100% juice with no added sugars, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.
• Pure cranberry juice on its own can be quite bitter so you may want to mix with other fruits’ juices to make it easier to drink.
• You need at least 30% cranberry juice in a juice mixture to receive the health benefits, nutrients and vitamins of cranberry juice.
• You do not need to drink lots of cranberry juice, excessive consumption can lead to obesity, tooth decays, diarrhea, gas and abdominal pain. Everything should be in moderation and two glasses of cranberry juice is what you need in a day.
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Cranberry Juice Benefits- References
Jepson RG, Mihaljevic L, Craig J. “Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD001321.
Sun J, Chu YF, Wu X, Liu RH (December 2002). “Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of common fruits”. J Agric Food Chem. 50 (25): 7449–54.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry.
http://nutrition.about.com/od/ dietsformedicaldisorders/f/cranberryjuice.htm.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ cranberry juice benefits .html.
