Cranberry Craze

So last night, the dorms had our annual Thanksgiving dinner. This is something that I always look forward too! There’s such a variety of Thanksgiving goodies, of course the usual turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, pumpkin, pecan, and apple pie, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

I was looking at my plate of food with eyes bulging and my stomach told me to dig in. All of the wonderful holiday flavors delighted my taste buds and hit the spot. However, as I looked at my plate, I realized that there wasn’t a lot of healthful food. Vegetables yes, but not enough to balance out the buttery mashed potatoes. The pecan pie was wonderful but are there no sweets that even hint to a healthy diet.

But wait, there I saw it. Ah yes, that famed sauce that is now a tradition, cranberry sauce. Of course the dining court didn’t serve anything that tasted like grandma’s but it was good none-the-less, and I felt satisfaction in knowing that I was eating something that would benefit me.
In my willingness to justify all the high carb foods I had eaten that night, I looked to the benefits of cranberries. Luckily, I can now eat more cranberry sauce with my pecan pie and know that my body will thank me someday.

Cardio:Preliminary research shows that cranberries have the ability to decrease total cholesterol and LDL, or bad cholesterol, and increase blood flow.

Cancer:Cranberries are rich in flavonoids. These phytonutrients have been shown to inhibit certain types of cancer.

Ulcers:
New research suggests compounds found in Cranberries may inhibit ulcer-causing bacteria from sticking to the stomach wall.

Anti-Aging:Polyphenolic compounds found in Cranberry may help to protect against neurodegenerative diseases, and the memory and coordination losses often associated with aging.

Infection:The Proanothcyanidins found in Cranberries can prevent urinary tract infections by inhibiting E. coli bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract wall. The National Kidney Foundation recommends drinking at least one large glass of cranberry juice a day to help maintain urinary tract health.

Thanksgiving isn’t the only time that you should eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice and reap its benefits. There are many different flavors of juice and other cranberry products, such as craisins, that make eating cranberries enjoyable all year round. So take advantage of those opportunities and help your body reach a healthier level!