Ingredient Spotlight: Cranberries
Cran·ber·ry | ˈkranˌberē,ˈkranbərē|
noun: cranberry; plural noun: cranberries
1. a small, red, acid berry used in cooking.
2. the evergreen dwarf shrub of the heath family that yields this fruit.
Cranberry is a shrub that grows in the wet areas of the northern regions of the United States and was a staple food of this country’s indigenous people. It was later introduced to European settlers, and has long been studied for its nutritional and medicinal qualities, especially in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Today we enjoy it in juices, jams , salads and sandwiches; and of course, it’s a key player in one of our favorite food holidays.
Benefits:
• Cranberry has bacteriostatic properties - meaning it causes suppression of bacterial growth at certain concentrations.
• Cranberries contain Proanthocyanidins, an ingredient that helps suppress the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections.
• Cranberries promote the increased secretion of Hippuric acid in the urine which may contribute to its antibacterial effects
• Study indicates cranberries may help decrease the incidence and recurrence of urinary tract infections by as much as 30%+.
Always remember, with symptoms of a urinary tract infection active medical advice must be obtained from a trained medical professional. Many co-existing conditions like diabetes, advancing age, immunosuppression, and paralysis can put a person at increased risk of complication and mortality; cranberry alone, can in no way replace medical treatment with an antibiotic for urinary tract infections.
Stay empowered in your health, by staying current with respect to medical updates from your physician and live, long and strong!
