The Bioactive Berry
All berries have powerful bioactive compounds, but this one may top the list.
Modern medicine and traditional folk remedies seem like natural enemies. After all, modern medicine is based on science, while traditional medicine typically involves passed-down tonics and mixtures, which sometimes sound a little woo-woo.
But the two aren't enemies at all. Modern medicine often takes its cues from traditional therapies, and then science figures out why they work and refines them. For example, long before science "invented" penicillin in 1928, ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to treat infections.
The same applies to the subspecies of plants within the Vaccinium genus, which have been utilized for centuries by Native American healers, in traditional Chinese medicine, and in Russian folk remedies. They knew this plant had healing properties. Science just came along later and figured out why.
You know this plant as the cranberry. Supplementally, it's called cranberry whole fruit concentrate (Buy at Amazon).
Cranberry Benefits: The Short List
Both modern and traditional medicine have found that cranberries have numerous health benefits:
- Boosts Urinary Tract Health: Ask any female in your family what she does to prevent or help treat UTIs and she'll either say cranberry juice or a supplement containing whole fruit concentrate. The active compounds, especially proanthocyanidins (PACs), prevent bacteria such as E. coli from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract, reducing the likelihood of infection.
- Reduces Oxidative Stress: Cranberries are high in antioxidants, such as flavonoids, vitamin C, and phenolic acids, which neutralize free radicals. This reduces the oxidative stress and inflammation linked to various chronic diseases.
- Improves Heart Health: Cranberry extract improves heart health by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels and reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol. Some studies suggest that cranberry extract helps lower blood pressure by improving blood vessel function and reducing inflammation.
- Improves Gut Health: The polyphenols in cranberries promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and limit the growth of harmful bacteria, preventing overgrowth.
- Anti-Cancer Properties: Some preliminary research suggests that cranberry extract might have anti-cancer properties. The antioxidants may help slow the growth of cancer cells.
- Other Benefits: Cranberry extract helps reduce the risk of kidney stones, boosts the immune system, and protects the skin from environmental damage that contributes to signs of aging.
How Do Cranberries Do All That?
Some benefits come from the cranberry's array of vitamins and minerals. It's called a superfood for a reason. But it's a true powerhouse berry because of its bioactive compounds: proanthocyanidins (PACs), anthocyanins, flavanols, and phenolic acids. Their combined benefits are what make cranberries "medicinal."
But the Taste!
Yes, there's a reason why your holiday cranberry sauce contains a cup of sugar. Cranberries are practically inedible in their raw state. They're incredibly tart and bitter. (But if you want to use whole cranberries, this dessert recipe is pretty darn good.)
Likewise, most cranberry juice beverages are mostly water and contain only small amounts of the juice. You'd need to drink glass after glass to notice the benefits. You can buy 100% pure cranberry juice and do shots, but good luck making that a daily habit.
The Supplement Route
A supplement made with cranberry whole fruit concentrate is the most practical way to get the benefits. You need 500 mg per day to reap most of the urinary tract and other health benefits. (A larger dosage may be required to treat an active UTI.) Look for cranberry whole fruit concentrate with a 50:1 ratio.
Cranberry concentrate is part of the P-Well Prostate Support (Buy at Amazon) formula. Along with punicalagin and lycopene, this prostate and sexual health supplement contains 500 mg of cranberry whole fruit concentrate (50:1).
