Cranberry

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) are an evergreen shrub with delicious red edible fruits. Wild cranberries are found in nature, but there are also cultivated varieties. Cranberry is a small fruit and grows in temperate zones in many parts of the United States and some other parts of the world.

Cranberry is supposed to be a member of the blueberry family, which are extremely useful small fruits. They can be taken as a juice, as a fresh fruit or as an extract. For maximum health benefits, it is good that blueberry juice should not be sweetened.

North America is considered to be the homeland of the large-fruited cranberry. The United States and Canada specialize in growing cranberry plantations. There are huge areas, shaped like swamps, adapted for growing these so valuable fruits. On the Old Continent there are young plantations in Poland and Germany, and in our country it is grown only by amateur gardeners.

We have cranberry bush can be seen on stony meadows, in coniferous forests. It is found in Central and Western Stara Planina, Western and Middle Rhodopes, Rila, Vitosha, Pirin, Belasitsa, Sredna Gora (including Lozenska and Plana Planina). The fruits of cranberry they are not as juicy and tasty as the Blue, but they appear later, when the other blueberries have already passed.

Composition of cranberries

Cranberry is a good plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are especially important for metabolism. These red fruits are rich in vitamins, trace elements, minerals, tannins and flavonoids, essential fatty acids - linoleic acid (OMEGA-6), alpha linoleic acid (OMEGA-3), carotenoids and phytosterols.

Cranberries contain about 6% arbutin, traces of hydroquinone, about 8% catechin tannins, the flavonoids quercetin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, ursolic, chlorogenic and caffeic acid and a lot of vitamin C.

The catechin-type tannins present in cranberry leaves make them better tolerated than those of bearberry. Cranberries are a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin A effectively neutralizes the action of free radicals, and fruits also have antiseptic properties. It is estimated that about 20 million people in Europe use cranberries as an antioxidant.

Tocotrienol (a rare form of vitamin E) found in wild fruits is the most effective and is found in cranberries. It is considered to be an antioxidant that is between 40-60 times more effective than tocopherol, the most common form of vitamin E. It is said that of all the natural oils, that of cranberry contains the highest amount of tocotrienol. Cranberries also contain large amounts of iron, and an additional plus is that the fruit has a low glycemic index.

100 g of cranberries contain

86.5% water; 49 kcal; 0.4 g protein; 0.2 g fat; 12.7 carbohydrates; 8.5 g of sugars; 4 g of fiber.

Selection and storage of cranberries

Buy cranberrieswhich have a rich color and no signs of spoilage. Much of the cranberry crop is used to freeze, dry or turn into juice, so be careful when buying them and keep an eye out for detailed information on product labels. Fresh cranberries Store in small wooden boxes placed in a cool, dry place. Keep in mind that they dry quickly. You can also store them in water.

Culinary application of cranberries

If you have the opportunity to pick wild cranberries, use the maximum force and quickly. These fruits, in addition to taking over the functions of the home pharmacy, are also extremely tasty to prepare. With them you can prepare a fine and tender cranberry sauce, add them when roasting various meats of pets and game.

Don't be afraid to add cranberries to homemade cakes. Even a simple cake can become a unique sweet temptation if you add 1-2 handfuls of cranberries. We offer you a delicious recipe for cranberry cake.

Recipe for Cake with cranberries and chocolate

120 g dark chocolate; 1/2 tsp butter, soft; 1 3/4 tsp warm water; 1 1/2 tbsp dry yeast; 1 1/2 tbsp salt; 4 eggs - slightly broken; 2/3 tsp sugar; 5 1/2 tsp flour; 1 tsp cocoa; 180 g of dark chocolate, crushed; 150 g cranberries, dried.

Method of preparation: Melt the crushed chocolate with the butter in a water bath and leave to cool. Lightly beat the eggs, salt, yeast (pre-dissolved in warm water with a pinch of sugar), water and sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour and cocoa and beat with a mixer until everything is homogenous. Finally, mix with the chocolate mixture with the butter, the crushed chocolate and the cranberries.

Cover the dish with a towel and leave to rise for 2 hours, until the volume doubles. Then transfer the dough with wet hands to a form with baking paper and leave to rise again for 40 minutes in the pan. Brush it with beaten egg and bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Benefits of cranberries

Cranberries are powerful antioxidants with seemingly innumerable benefits to human health. Cranberries are one of the largest and most natural sources of vitamin C, which protects the body against urinary tract infections. More and more research is showing other beneficial effects due to their high antioxidant properties - berries even help lower cholesterol. Free radical fighters protect cells from damage.

Cranberries have been known for centuries to prevent and cure urinary tract infections. Many people also use cranberry supplements to prevent urinary tract infections caused by bacteria. The proanthocyanidins in cranberry manage to block the adhesion of bacteria and E. coli by sticking to the cell walls of the uterus and bladder.

Cranberries have also been shown to help reduce plaque, and cranberry juice can prevent the buildup of bacteria that cause plaque.

On top of that, these little "red diamonds" are a powerful anti-cancer agent. The proanthocyanidin compounds in cranberry have been shown to have anticancer activity, as a result of which cranberries can prevent the rapid growth of tumors. In laboratory experiments, cranberry chemical extracts have been shown to prevent the multiplication of breast cancer cells.

Cranberries are also very good for the heart. They prevent heart problems and help in the presence of various heart diseases. Cranberry prophylaxis, as a supplement to your diet, can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. Daily consumption of cranberry juice increases the level of good cholesterol and reduces the level of bad cholesterol. This in turn is associated with beneficial effects on the heart and your blood pressure.

Cranberries are a powerful remedy for kidney stones. Quinic acid in cranberries and can help prevent the development of kidney stones.

Drinking cranberry juice can stop a urinary tract infection because it prevents bacteria from sticking to cell walls. Tannins prevent them from sticking to the wall of the bladder, thus preventing urinary tract infections.

Decoction of cranberries in cystitis

Even our grandmothers knew that the decoction of cranberry leaves is very useful in cystitis. To prepare it you need 2 tbsp. leaves, which are boiled over low heat in 300 ml of water for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and drink 3 times a day for 2 weeks.