Cran-tastic!
    Nutritious cranberries are good for you-and good for more than just sauce.

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    Although we may think of cranber-ries only at Thanksgiving time-as that perfectly formed cylindrical sauce from a can-these red gems have lots more to offer on both the culinary and nutritional fronts. Cranberries can now be found fresh, dried, canned or as juice in supermarkets everywhere. Supplements even tout the health benefits of cranberries in a convenient pill form.But cranberries arent strictly a modern addition to the American diet. In New England, cranberries have been important for centuries. Along with blueberries and Concord grapes, cranberries are one of only three com-mercial fruits native to North America. Native Americans relied on cranberries as an important food source, and incor-porated it into pemmican-a mixture of dried fruit, dried meat and fat that was used as a traveling and ceremonial food. Cranberries were also likely eaten by early European settlers in the region, perhaps even at the first Thanksgiving. Cranberry farming has a long his-tory in Massachusetts, which was only recently surpassed by Wisconsin as the countrys leading producer. Crops were traditionally grown in bogs, which could be flooded during the fall harvest. Fresh cranberries contain a pocket of air inside, so the berries float when ripe, allowing them to be easily collected. Despite the iconic image of flooded cranberry bogs, fields are flooded only during harvesting and in the winter to protect plants from harsh weather. Cranberries intended for fresh sale are picked dry, a technique that causes less damage to the fruit but produces less yield and requires more lWhole cranberry fruits are a perfect fit in almost any healthy diet, as they are naturally high in fiber and low in calories and fat. One cup of fresh cranberries contains only 51 calories while offering 5 grams of fiber and 24% of the daily value of vitamin C.Vitamin C lends cranberries their distinctively tart flavor, and serves many important roles in the body. Early sailors from New England even brought cranberries onboard ships as a source of vitamin C to ward off scurvy. Although scurvy isnt a likely concern today, vi-tamin C does keep the immune system functioning (an attribute that has led to its cold-fighting reputation, mostly unsupported by scientific evidence) and builds healthy skin and naiIn the popular media, cranberries have been associated with a number of health claims ranging from decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes to improving oral health. Perhaps the best known of these claims is that cranberry juice can prevent or help cure urinary-tract infections. Cranberry-based supplements are commonly marketed as promoting urinary-tract health. In lab tests, cranberry has been shown to prevent bacteria from adhering to cell walls-which may be how cranberry juice acts to prevent or treat infections. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating cran-berry intake and urinary-tract infec-tions showed that there has been some benefit established in reducing the number of infections in women. It is still unclear, however, what the effect is in men, children and the elderly. One result of drinking cranberry juice may simply be increased hydration, which is known to benefit the urinary tract. Cranberries are also a rich source of antioxidant phytochemicals. In par-ticular, cranberries are one of the best sources of polyphenols among com-monly eaten fruits. These polyphenols are currently being investigated for their effect on lowering risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease through anti-inflammatory and blood-pressure-regulating mechanisms. Although much research remains preliminary, its hard to dispute that cranberries are a delicious ad-dition to a healthful eating plan. Both the American Dietetic Association and American Heart Association recom-mend consuming whole fruits and 100% fruit juice. Cranberry consumers should re-member to check product labels, how-ever, as cranberry juices are usually blends of multiple fruit juices and may not have a high cranberry content. To counter cranberries tartness, makers of cranberry-juice cocktail typically pile on the sugar; an eight-ounce glass contains 30 grams of sugars and 137 calories. Other cranberry products, such as sauces and dried fruits, can also be heavy on added sugars-a cup of sweetened dried cranberries con-tains a whopping 78 grams of sugars and 370 calories. As always, its best to seek out cranberries in their whole food form, rather than from a supple-ment or cranberry-extract-fortified food. There are as many ways to incor-porate cranberries into your diet as there are potential health benefits from eating them. Fresh or dried cranberries can be stirred into muffin or pancake batter, or tossed into a salad. The tart taste of cranberries is also a perfect topping for fish; try a cranberry-lemon sauce on salmon or a cranberry-mango relish on top of cod or mahi mahi. With a little creativity, this New Eng-land native can become an addition to your table for which youll be thankful all year round. -Victoria HOVictoria Ho is a dietetic intern at Tufts Frances Stern Nutrition Center and a masters degree candidate in the Friedman School.

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