Elizabeth Bailey
Cranberries (also known as cranberries, cranberries, or cultivated cranberries) are very popular as a superfood in the form of juice, powder, or as dried berries. These are their health benefits at a glance.
These vitamins and nutrients are in the cranberry
The cranberry is considered a real cornucopia of vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of cranberries contain 60 milligrams of vitamin A. For comparison: Strawberries contain just 0.015 milligrams. The berry also contains vitamin C, potassium, sodium, magnesium, polyphenols, phosphorus, and antioxidants. This has earned the cranberry the reputation of a superfood.
Cranberry: effect
The cranberry is mainly known for preventing urinary tract diseases (e.g. as a preventive home remedy for cystitis). It has a draining effect and is said to help with gout, rheumatism, stomach ulcers, fever, and intestinal diseases.
How do cranberries taste?
Fresh from the bush, the cranberry is extremely sour and almost inedible. However, if you let them dry, the cranberry loses its liquid, and the sweetness increases. Nevertheless, the red berry retains its sour note even when dried.
Cranberry juice in particular is very popular. But of course, the fruit can also be consumed in other ways. Because of its sour taste, it offers a great contrast to sweet dishes.
What are the disadvantages of cranberries?
As healthy as the cranberry is, its ecological footprint is just as bad. Cranberries are mostly imported from the USA, which means long journeys by plane. The irrigation of cranberry plantations is also problematic. Due to the plant’s enormous need for water, entire fields have to be flooded, which increases water consumption. If you are looking for alternatives, blueberries, cranberries, and elderberries are good choices. Not only do these berries offer a similar taste, but they also provide a high value of nutrients and vitamins.
Origin of the berry
The original distribution area of the cranberry is in the east of the USA. In the meantime, however, it is also cultivated in Germany, Holland, and England. The small fruit likes it very moist and needs a lot of water, which is why it mainly grows in moors and swamps. Today, cranberry fields are flooded extensively to give the plant the foundation it needs.
