Hey there viewers! Cranberries are a superfood native to the Americas!
They are one of the best berries, either for their look, feel, taste, or benefits.
These deep red beauties are used daily in many kitchens for health benefits.
With these delicious berries, you can make jams, spreads, dips, and more. Do you know cranberry
juice is just as therapeutic as fruit? You will be surprised to know what it does to your heart.
But what about the kidneys, liver, urinary tract, immune system, and GI tract? Are the rumors true?
Today, we’re gonna talk about all these AND more...
Cranberries are no less than a life potion. There's much more to them than their deep red
color and tangy flavor. Cranberry juice, without added sugar, is a low-calorie detox drink. Its
juice also has the same vitamins, minerals, and other active ingredients as the whole fruit. It is
packed with vitamins C, E, and K1. All essential for bone development and cardiovascular health.
Studies have shown its therapeutic equivalence to Cranberry, the fruit. It has polyphenolic
compounds, particularly anthocyanins. Anthocyanins help deal with diabetes,
cancer, inflammation, infections, obesity, and even cardiovascular disease (CVDs).
Two glasses of cranberry juice every day may also protect you from heart disease. It also
keeps kidney troubles, diabetes, and dental plaque at arm's length.
This juice may help ward off fungal, bacterial pathogens, and yeast. It can
effectively control chronic UTIs (urinary tract infections) and keep your private parts healthy.
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Cranberry has a set of very complicated-sounding organic acids like flavonoids and terpenoids.
It also has benzoic acid. Your body releases acids in the form of hippuric acid.
With the consumption of phenolic acids, the level of hippuric acid rises. Hippuric acid
can effectively inhibit bacterial growth. It maintains the low pH of urine. Making it difficult
for the bacteria to survive and reproduce. Many women were subjected to controlled trials for
12 months of cranberry juice consumption, and it was found they had decreased recurrence of UTIs.
In another study, 225 kids were given cranberry juice and a placebo for 6 months.
The children who received cranberry juice needed fewer days on antibiotic therapy.
But, the higher acidity made the drinks less pleasant for kids.
Studies on rats and pigs have shown that cranberry juice has vasorelaxant
properties due to its active ingredients. This means cranberry juice can make your
stiff blood vessels relax. So, it can also regulate high blood pressure.
A study was conducted on 26 men and 30 women. They were given 8 oz. of low-cal, sucralose-sweetened
cranberry juice or an identical placebo. After 8 weeks, the volunteers who got cranberry juice had
lower levels of cardiometabolic risk indicators in their blood compared to those who got the placebo.
They had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke than the placebo group.
So yeah!! Looking for a heart-healthy meal?
Go ahead... add a glass of cranberry juice to your daily diet.
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Cranberry juice forms a protective layer on your teeth. It makes it difficult for the
cavity-causing bacteria to reach the surface. It does this by disrupting the formation of
glucan. Oral bacterias build plaque by utilizing glucan as a building block.
Over time, the plaque covers your teeth and triggers decay.
Cranberry juice inhibits these enzymes and prevents the formation of plaque.
When added to dental products, cranberry juice can also stop
other bacteria from adhering to the surface of your teeth.
Pause... Cranberry juice is also a traditional remedy
for many medical conditions. UTIs and kidney infections were treated with cranberry juice.
Not only that, Cranberry has active ingredients that can inhibit the adherence of pathogens.
A study conducted on a group of healthy men showed the positive effect of cranberry juice.
Drinking about 500 ml of cranberry juice daily reduced oxalate excretion in these males.
It stopped kidney stone formation. Which are formed by oxalate ions interacting with calcium.
According to the study, the excretion of phosphate and citrate ions was affected. Oxalate,
citrate, and phosphate together control the calcification of kidneys. So, drinking cranberry
juice can prevent chronic kidney disease, kidney calcification, nephritis, and other conditions.
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Recent studies on mice have reported that cranberry extract decreases the
accumulation of lipids in the liver. It prevented the build-up of oxidative
stress in high fat-fed mice. But do you know what oxidative stress is?
In our cell's metabolic process, a by-product called free radicals
is produced. An excess of free radicals is called oxidative stress.
Excessive amounts of free radicals in your body can destroy cellular structures and even DNA.
Consuming cranberry extract daily can improve humans' blood cholesterol and
lipid profile. Due to this, people on this extract had higher LDL levels.
It can also enhance the effects of anti-inflammatory genes and substances.
Dietary supplementation of cranberry extracts can help deal with liver disease. These include
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. And even hard to pronounce diseases like
steatohepatitis (Ste-To-hepatitis) and cirrhosis (cir·​rho·​sis). Such foods
prevent the condition from becoming cancerous like hepatocarcinoma (hepato-car-si-noma).
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Having low-calorie cranberry juice reduces the biomarkers of inflammation,
according to research. Daily intake of this juice lowers your body's C-reactive protein (CRP) level.
CRP concentration in your blood usually increases with inflammation.
Several anti-inflammatory enzyme levels are boosted
due to the polyphenols found in cranberry juice.
Drinking cranberry juice can reduce the severity of chronic and acute inflammatory disorders.
These include arthritis, some types of diabetes, UTIs, and even Alzheimer's disease. It can also
be helpful with diseases like atherosclerosis, Crohn's disease, colitis, and periodontitis.
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Women are more prone to UTIs. The most common cause of a UTI is E-coli. While
urinating or during intercourse, these bacteria can easily travel from the anus to the urethra.
Because of that, women should be extra careful when it comes to UTI’s. Adding
cranberries to your diet can prevent many forms of UTI. Proanthocyanidins,
one of the cranberry polyphenols, demonstrate this property. These can decrease the adherence of E.
coli and Candida fungus to urethra and vaginal cells, preventing the aggravation of infections.
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People with type 2 diabetes have fewer fruits and vegetables. This
could be because it is perceived to harm glycemic control. In such cases,
low-calorie cranberry juice can be a healthy way of increasing fruit intake.
A study was conducted on 58 males with type 2 diabetes. Half of the males were
given a cup of cranberry juice every day, while the rest were served a placebo.
After 12 weeks, the blood glucose levels of the experiment group decreased significantly.
Elevated LDL levels, also known as bad cholesterol, are prevalent among people
with diabetes. LDL oxidation worsens diabetes. Here, cranberry juice can be of real help.
While at it, metabolic disorders such as obesity and CVDs are also some of the controllable.
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How do you think UTIs occur? It is an interesting model of bacterial interaction with human cells.
E. coli (bacteria) is the most common culprit in UTIs. There are tiny hair-like structures
called fimbriae (fim-bree-ee) in the infectious strains of E-coli.
Fimbriae act like hooks and latch on the cells lining the urinary tract.
Disturbing this attachment system is the best way to deal with UTIs. Here, Cranberry comes in handy!
The fimbriae curl up when exposed to cranberry juice, and the E-coli can no longer infect you.
This makes unsweetened cranberry juice one of the best remedies for UTIs and infections.
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Cranberries are packed with antioxidants like phenolic acids and flavonoids. These
phenolic acids also work as antioxidants. It's effective in reducing oxidative stress.
This summer drink can also replenish your body's electrolytes because cranberry juice
is rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins C, A, and K.
It is believed that cranberry juice can also help you lose some pounds.
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Cranberry extracts can improve your digestion and gut health. This berry has highly potent
anti-microbial activity and can protect your digestive system from various infections.
Cranberry juice has acids such as flavonols and other very complicated-sounding ones I
am sure you don't wanna deal with. They may prevent bacterial adhesion
and cause lesser biofilm formation, controlling inflammation in your gut.
These active ingredients also have a probiotic effect. They boost the growth
of digestion-friendly microbes in your stomach. That’s why many people prescribe
cranberry juice when you feel nauseous. It's rich in vitamin C and settles your upset tummy.
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As we have already discussed, Cranberry juice prevents bacteria. A 2005 study
reported that cranberry juice has an active substance called NDM,
and it interferes with the life cycle of the Influenza virus.
Not only that, NDM can inhibit the adhesion and interaction of the virus.
The findings suggested that NDM may target essential proteins of the influenza virus.
This juice may also prevent secondary bacterial
complications. It also helps boost the number of immune system cells.
A glass of cranberry juice repairs, recharges and rejuvenates your body. It's a shot of health. To
top it all off, these benefits have been proven experimentally. Scientists and researchers have
thoroughly researched the active components and their effects. So you can trust us on this.
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You wanna get the benefits? Well, it's better if you make it at home. Because that way,
you can avoid added sugar and preservatives. Here is a quick recipe for you. If you want, you can
have it with some sugar as well. It's a versatile drink. You can play around and add a variety of
fruits to give it your twist! You need:
A quart of Cranberry and a quart of water. Add some sweetener of your choice,
about ½ to 1 cup.It could be sugar, honey, pure cane syrup, agave nectar, or artificial sweetener.
Now throw it all in a pot, and after boiling for 10 minutes, strain with a fine strainer.
Some people prefer straining with a cloth. While filtering, you need to squeeze the
cranberries to get all the goodness out. Now, let it cool for a while and serve
it fresh. If you want, throw it in the fridge and enjoy it chilled.
Your body needs a lot more than you can imagine. And thank goodness there are superfoods to cover
for your body. Cranberry is just one of them. Let's keep the conversation going…
Watch "17 SUPERFOODS You Should Make A Part Of Your Daily Diet"
or try watching "11 Best Superfoods For Men."
Go ahead, click one, or even better, watch both and learn all about it.