Cranberries in nutrition - medicinal properties of cranberries - contraindications, diets, dishes, tips from housewives

Cranberry varieties

Cranberries, or “northern lemons,” have been cultivated since the first half of the 19th century. At this time, special attention was paid to large-fruited varieties. Since the end of the last century, breeders began to develop new varieties of bog cranberries. Currently, there are more than 20 varieties of cranberries.

Let's name the most common of them:

Ben Lear is the earliest known cranberry variety. The berries, a dark burgundy color with a sweet and sour taste, reach full ripeness at the end of August.
Sazonovskaya
– a mid-season variety with purple fruits shaped like a heart.
Scarlet Reserve is a late-ripening variety with large but sour-tasting fruits.
Franklin is a mid-season variety that produces intense red berries. The advantage of the fruits of this variety is their long shelf life. They stay fresh for up to a month.
Severyanka is a variety of Russian selection with large berries. Its advantage is its high resistance to frost.

Nutritional value, calorie content and composition of cranberries

Cranberries have a very low calorie content even among berries. 100 grams of cranberries contain only 28 kcal, and a glass - just over 40. And this is not surprising, because cranberries are almost 90% water and contain a very small amount of carbohydrates.

Nutritional value of 100 g cranberries:

88.9 g water.
3.7 g carbohydrates.
0.5 g protein.
0.2 g fat.

Composition of cranberries (per 100 g):

Vitamins:

15 mg vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
0.3 mg vitamin PP (nicotinic acid).
1 mcg vitamin B9 (folic acid).
0.02 mg vitamin B1 (thiamine).
1 mg vitamin E (tocopherol).
0.08 mg vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
0.02 mg vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

Minerals:

119 mg potassium.
0.6 mg iron.
14 mg calcium.
11 mg phosphorus.
15 mg magnesium.
1 mg sodium.

Chemical composition of cranberries

Crane grass is a storehouse of useful organic substances and inorganic compounds. It includes:

substances (natural thickeners added to many desserts);
macro-sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose);
acids (citric, malic, oleanic, quinic, succinic);
bioflavonoids (including colorants anthocyanins);
phenols (among them tannins, responsible for the astringent taste);
pectin substances;
macro- and microelements;
vitamins.

Macro- and microelements are mainly present in the form of salts. Most of all in these berries (in brackets - % of the daily value):

potassium – 120 mg (4.8%);
magnesium – 15 mg (3.8%);
silicon – 1.5 mg (5%);
copper – 61 mcg (6.1%);
molybdenum – 5 mcg (7%);
cobalt – 1.44 μg (14.5%);
manganese – 0.36 µg (18%).

From the variety of vitamins that fruits contain (in parentheses - % of the daily value):

pantothenic acid (B5) – 0.295 mg (5.9%);
pyridoxine (B6) – 0.08 mg (4%);
biotin (B7, also known as vitamin H) – 100 mcg (200%);
ascorbic acid (vitamin C) – 15 mg (16.7%);
vitamin E – 1 mg (6.7%);
phylloquinone (vitamin K) – 5 mcg (4.2%).

Fact! Although cranberries are called “northern lemon” in Siberia, they contain 3 times less vitamin C, and are also inferior in quantity to such garden berries as raspberries, currants, and gooseberries.

The benefits and harms of cranberries

Beneficial properties of cranberries:

Cranberries are capable of removing heavy metal salts and radioactive substances from the body. In addition, it prevents the development of cancer. For this reason, cranberries are especially recommended for residents of environmentally disadvantaged regions and people employed in hazardous industries.
Berries have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. They strengthen the walls of blood vessels, giving them elasticity, which prevents the formation of blood clots.
Cranberry juice helps remove kidney stones.
Compresses made from crushed cranberries relieve headaches.
Grated berries are used to treat abrasions and burns, and cranberry juice is used for dermatitis and fungal diseases.

Harm of cranberries

Cranberries can cause severe allergies, so people prone to them should consume the berry with great caution.
Cranberries are not recommended for those with high acidity and peptic ulcers. For these diseases, cranberries can only be consumed in the form of juice diluted with water.
Due to their high acid content, fresh berries should not be eaten on an empty stomach. They are best used as dessert or processed.

Properties of cranberries

Benefit

Eating a small amount of berries from time to time will be a good prevention of caries and tartar deposits, and rinsing your mouth with berry decoction reduces bleeding gums.
The delicacy will improve digestion when the acidity of gastric juice is low.
Cranberry drinks are good for colds due to vitamin C and diaphoretic effects.
The mild diuretic effect of crane grass, together with its antimicrobial properties, makes it a valuable remedy for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the urinary system: urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis.
Vitamins and minerals in fruits have a positive effect on blood vessels, preventing cholesterol plaques from settling on their walls, participate in the synthesis of insulin and are needed for the proper functioning of the nervous system.
It is useful to consume berries in small quantities for pregnant women to prevent the development of varicose veins and get rid of edema.
If there is no other antiseptic at hand, diluted juice is used to treat wounds and scratches to prevent suppuration and speed up healing.
Folk beauty recipes advise using decoctions for washing when treating problematic oily skin and as a hair rinse for dandruff.

Harm and contraindications

Substances that give fruits a red color can cause allergic diathesis in children.
Organic acids destroy tooth enamel and can cause pain in people with sensitive teeth.
Important! Teeth sensitivity increases after whitening and scaling procedures.

Taking squeezed berry juice in its pure form can cause heartburn.
Long-term and daily consumption of berries and juice can lead to gastritis, pancreatitis and peptic ulcers. If there are gastrointestinal diseases, they are excluded from the menu.
It is better for women to limit cranberries 3-5 days before menstruation - they make bleeding more profuse.
Cranberry juices and decoctions are not used for washing and rinsing hair with dry skin - in this case, their acidity is harmful.
Eating berries in any form cannot be combined with taking antibiotics, aspirin and drugs that reduce blood viscosity.

Cranberry in the diet of pregnant and lactating women, children, diabetics and athletes

Cranberries are extremely beneficial for pregnant women It has a positive effect on the genitourinary system, eliminates swelling and improves immunity. In addition, berries and cranberry juice improve blood circulation in the uterus, which is undoubtedly beneficial for the fetus. Nursing mothers should refrain from eating cranberries, as they can cause severe allergies in the baby.

It is also not recommended to give cranberries in any form to children under three years of age.

And for diabetics . Firstly, it contains a minimal amount of glucose. Secondly, it normalizes hormonal levels thanks to ursolic acid. You can eat a glass of cranberries a day, taking into account bread units.

Cranberries are no less useful for athletes . It will supply the body with the necessary number of vitamins. If you need to lose weight before a competition, cranberry, as a dietary product, is ideally suited as a component of dietary nutrition.

Frozen cranberries - features

After harvesting, the berries can be used fresh to prepare fruit drinks, but many housewives prefer to freeze the product or prepare compotes from it in order to preserve all the benefits of fresh fruits. Freshly picked cranberries can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 20 days, and then require heat treatment.

Frozen cranberries retain maximum beneficial properties due to the content of natural preservatives, where benzoic acid plays the main role. It is this element that allows you to keep the product in the freezer for 2 years without losing its healing qualities.

Following some rules will allow you to get maximum health benefits:

the blast freezing method cannot be used for heat treatment of berries;
the berries must be sorted, removing damaged and poor quality ones;
You should not wash the berries before placing them in the freezer, as this may damage the integrity of the fruit shell;
before freezing, the fruits should be spread on a flat surface in one layer and sent for freezing, which will preserve the integrity of the berries and prevent them from sticking together;
The optimal shelf life is 6 months, but cranberries can be frozen for up to 2 years.

Did you know? The flowering of the cranberry bush is very reminiscent of the appearance of a crane, which is why the berry got its name in English “cranberry” and in Ukrainian “crane”.

For storage, it is recommended to use a food container rather than a plastic bag. It is also worth mentioning that it is necessary to defrost cranberries gradually; it is better to leave them at room temperature overnight and drain the resulting liquid in the morning. This method will ensure the safety of vitamins.

Chemical composition

The composition of the berries is unique and medicinal due to the presence of the following elements:

tannin is a natural antibiotic that can destroy pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria, and also enhances the effect of synthetic antibacterial agents. This substance gives cranberries their specific bitter taste;
ascorbic acid, the maximum concentration of which is found in the pulp of the berry;
ursolic acid, which ensures the development of muscle tissue;
acids: malic, quinic, citric, benzoic;
vitamins A, PP, E, K1 and group B is widely represented;
potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron;
glucose and fructose;
pectins;
polyphenols;
antioxidants;
indigestible dietary fiber that improves intestinal motility.

The berry shell contains numerous astringent components , which ensure the removal of harmful substances from the body and tone blood vessels. The composition also includes prebiotics that help normalize microflora and intestinal functioning.

Important! The substances contained in the berries in moderate doses can prevent the development of caries, however, with abundant consumption of fresh fruits, damage to the enamel on the teeth may occur.

Calorie content

The potential energy charge of the product varies slightly depending on its state and is calculated per 100 g:

fresh: 26 kcal;
frozen: 18 kcal;
dried: 280 kcal;
candied cranberries: 188 kcal.

The nutritional value

The calorie content of the product is very low, due to which it is actively used in dietary nutrition, and its beneficial components help burn excess calories and reduce body weight; a 100 g serving of cranberries contains:

protein: 0.5 g;
fat: 0 g;
carbohydrates: 6.8 g.

How to choose, collect, consume and store cranberries?

Cranberry harvesting begins in mid-October and continues until snow falls. When picking, you can use a plastic hand harvester, but it is better to pick each berry separately.
Fresh cranberries can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 10 days, and in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
If you rinse freshly picked cranberries with cold water, and then place them in jars and pour cooled boiling water over them, they will be stored in the refrigerator for a whole year.
If you buy cranberries on the market, then first of all you should pay attention to the appearance of the berries. Fresh berries should be shiny and firm to the touch. In addition, they must be painted in an intense red color. Dried, wrinkled berries with a brownish or faded color cannot be purchased.
Cranberries can be dried and frozen. Dried cranberries can retain their beneficial properties for three years, frozen ones for a year.

Application

The harvested fruits can be eaten fresh, but most of the harvest is processed. Cranberries are used to make jam, marmalade, syrup, marmalade, marshmallows, and pie filling. Many different drinks are also prepared from berries: juice, fruit drink, compote, kvass, tincture and liqueur, fruit drinks. For the winter, the berries are prepared for future use - they are soaked, frozen, dried and ground with sugar. Cranberries are added to salads and sauerkraut.

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What dishes can be prepared with cranberries?

Cranberry juice.
Cranberry jelly.
Cranberry jam.
Cranberry sauce for meat.
Cranberry syrup.
Smoothie with cranberries.
Cranberry marmalade.
Cranberries in powdered sugar.
Berry pie with cranberries and cinnamon.
Cabbage marinated with cranberries.
Meatballs in cranberry sauce.
Duck stuffed with apples and cranberries.
Oatmeal cookies with cranberries.
Curd cream with cranberries.

Cranberry diet

It is not recommended to have a mono-diet on cranberries, but nutritionists advise carrying out cranberry fasting days. Their goal is to cleanse the body of toxins and excess fluid. Along the way, you can get rid of 1-2 kilograms of excess weight. The maximum duration of the cranberry diet is 3 days. During this time, you should only drink water and cranberry juice diluted with water. The amount of the latter should be 8 glasses. Solid foods are not recommended on this diet. If you feel very hungry, you can eat some fruit. Before starting a fasting diet and after it, you need to limit your intake of fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods.

A more gentle diet option is to include cranberries, cranberry juice and fruit juice in the daily menu, which should consist of low-calorie foods. It must be said that long-term consumption of cranberries with proper nutrition will bring even greater effect than a strict mono-diet. In addition, the first option can seriously affect your health.

Usage

The use of the natural resources that this wild berry stores can be used to prevent the above diseases and pathologies, and can also have a powerful therapeutic effect.

Did you know? Cranberries can be harvested twice a year in the spring and fall seasons.
In the spring picked after the snow has melted, then the berries taste sweeter, and in early autumn they accumulate more useful substances and vitamins.

For colds

Having caught a cold, the human body requires stimulation of its protective functions and for this it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids; a cranberry drink is perfect for this. The berries can be eaten fresh or defrosted from summer preparations to make sauces or berry desserts. In addition to the fact that eating berries will help cope with infections, they also help lower the temperature, since fever often accompanies colds.

Ingredients:

cranberries: 1 cup;
honey: 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation technology: grind the berries with honey and take for sore throat and coughing attacks.

Under pressure

For people suffering from high blood pressure, the berry is an excellent natural remedy that can lower blood pressure readings. They are recommended to drink juices or fruit drinks 3-4 times a day, or a mixture according to the recipe below.

Ingredients:

fresh or frozen cranberries: 1 kg;
garlic: 1 cup;
honey: 0.5 l.

Cooking technology:

Thaw the berries and grind them in a blender.
Peel the garlic and grind it as well.
Mix cranberries with garlic and add honey.

You need to take the medicinal mixture 1 tsp. twice a day.

For weight loss

It is used mainly fresh or in the form of freshly squeezed juice, since in this case it can have the maximum effect:

speed up the body's metabolism;
stimulate appetite;
activate the absorption of nutrients;
remove excess water;
rid the body of waste and toxins.

Cranberries are the basis of some diet programs designed to reduce body weight.

The unique combination of trace elements, acids and vitamins in cranberries provides a positive effect and a significant effect on human health. Proper and moderate consumption can prevent or cure many diseases.