Cranberry is a creeping plant of the heather family. It grows in swamps and forests of North America, Europe and Asia, from the middle zone to the Arctic Circle. It blooms in early summer, and the fruits ripen in August-September. Cranberries are very well stored, practically without losing their beneficial properties, which makes them indispensable in winter and spring.
The chemical composition and properties of cranberries
Of the five existing cranberry species, two are cultivated. Marsh cranberries are grown in Russia, Estonia and Latvia, while the USA, Canada, Belarus, Poland and the Scandinavian countries mainly produce its large-fruited "relative".
This red berry has many health benefits. Among the vitamins it contains, mainly A, B1, B2, B3, C and folic acid. But the mineral composition of its fruits is very rich. They contain compounds of aluminum, iron, potassium, manganese, sodium, silver, zinc and many others. They also contain sugars, tannins and organic acids.
Flavonoids - anthocyanins, leukoanthocyanins, catechins - can be distinguished separately in the composition of cranberries. These substances increase the activity of enzymes and improve the elasticity of blood vessels, but they are not synthesized by the body. And the pectins contained in it form strong compounds with heavy and radioactive metals and remove them from the body.
Despite their bright red color, cranberries rarely provoke allergic reactions. Therefore, drinks based on it are recommended even for nursing mothers for the treatment of postpartum complications, as well as as a source of nutrients.
Cranberry improves the functioning of the digestive system, lowers blood pressure, has an antispasmodic and bactericidal effect, stops bleeding and relieves inflammation. The fruits of this plant are widely used to treat atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis, kidney and genitourinary system diseases.
To soften a dry cough, it is recommended to eat berries, rubbed with honey in equal proportions. The same remedy has a therapeutic effect for tonsillitis and bronchitis. In addition, there are studies showing that drinking a glass of cranberry juice once a day significantly reduces the risk of malignant tumors.
Cranberries are contraindicated for stomach and duodenal ulcers, gastritis with high acidity. In case of impaired liver function and urolithiasis, you should consult a doctor before using it.
How to make cranberry juice
Cranberry juice lowers the temperature and has an anti-inflammatory effect, due to which it has long been used as a medicine for colds and viral infections. In addition, it perfectly tones, refreshes and quenches thirst.
To prepare the "correct" cranberry juice you need the following:
- cranberries - 1 glass;
- sugar - 0.5 cups;
- water 1, 5 l.
The cranberries must be sorted out and rinsed thoroughly. Then knead with a wooden crush or spoon and squeeze out the juice. Pour the resulting pulp after pressing with water and boil, add sugar. When the resulting broth cools down a little, pour cranberry juice into it.
