Cranberry is a pretty famous berry... It grows in swamps in the wild in the northern regions of our country. Ripens in autumn much later than other types of berries.
It has earned its popularity because of its many beneficial properties.
Berry composition, calorie content
Cranberries are unique in terms of their composition, namely the presence of vitamins and minerals.
The berry contains:
- A whole set of vitamins such as K, A, PP, groups B and C. Most of all it contains vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
- Minerals (potassium, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, boron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, silver).
- Organic acids. The composition contains only natural acids of plant origin (citric, ursolic, chlorogenic, benzoic, oleanolic).
- Antioxidants and Catechins.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are only found in grains.
Cranberries are not even a high-calorie berry. It contains only about 30 kcal per 100 grams.
Protein, sugar, fats and carbohydrates are present in it in fairly small quantities. But it is high in fiber.
Product of the day. Cranberry:
Useful and medicinal properties for the human body
Cranberries are prized for their many beneficial properties for the human body. These include:
- Normalization of metabolic processes. Help in removing all toxins and toxic substances from the body.
- Reducing high blood pressure.
- Strengthening the capillaries.
- Normalizes blood cholesterol levels. It prevents the formation of blood clots and plaques in blood vessels, it dilutes the blood well.
- Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect. Reduces high fever well for colds and flu. Helps the body to fight its intoxication.
- Strengthening the immune system. Cranberries eliminate vitamin deficiency, being a kind of source to give strength and vigor to the body.
- Prevention of the formation of malignant tumors in the body.
- Improving concentration of attention.
- Analgesic effect for headaches or pain in women during menstruation.
- Strengthening the nervous system, hair and nails.
About the benefits of cranberries for the body:
Potential harm to health and contraindications
Along with other products, this berry has its own contraindications for use. These include the following indicators:
- cranberry allergy... It manifests itself mainly in the form of allergic manifestations on the skin. It can be in the form of a rash, skin redness, itching. Therefore, it is contraindicated in women during the period of breastfeeding, as well as in children under 3 years of age;
- having a stomach or intestinal ulcer... as well as various types of gastritis. You can not eat cranberries during an exacerbation of these diseases;
- low pressure (hypotension);
- the presence of urolithiasis, gout, liver diseases.
Recommended do not consume fresh berries or juice before mealsso that the gastric mucosa is not irritated and gastric juice is not secreted in large quantities.
Cranberry juice must be diluted with water before use.
Traditional methods of treating various diseases
Cranberries are widely used in folk medicine for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.
For colds and flu
Cranberry has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, makes a person sweat. Thanks to this, it brings down the heat well.
Drinks from it quench your thirst. For colds, it is necessary to drink cranberry infusion.
Cooking method: berries (1 glass) crush and pour boiling water (1 liter). The resulting solution is brought to a boil, insisted, then filtered. They drink 1 glass several times during the day.
With hypertension
Berries, fruit drinks or jelly from them have a good diuretic effect on the human body. In this case, potassium is not washed out of the body.
Additionally, potassium is found in the berries themselves. It helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, maintains them in good shape, thereby helping to normalize blood pressure.
One of the recipes for a cranberry drink for hypertension: Crush 2 cups berries, add 0.5 cups granulated sugar, add 1 cup water.
Stir the resulting mixture, bring to a boil and strain. Dilute the mixture in the amount of a few teaspoons with hot water and drink like tea.
Benefits for angina
In this case, cranberry juice is used.... They can be gargled and consumed internally. For rinsing, the juice must first be diluted with water half.
When ingested, the following remedy is prepared: cranberry juice and beet juice, honey, vodka are mixed with each other in equal proportions.
The mixture is infused for 3 days, stirring occasionally every day. The finished composition is taken in 1 tablespoon about an hour before meals.
With cystitis
Cranberry acts on the body as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic and antiseptic. The proanthocyanide contained in it prevents bacteria that cause cystitis from accumulating on the walls of the bladder.
When treating it, it is recommended drink 1 glass of freshly squeezed juice daily.
To strengthen immunity and eliminate vitamin deficiency
Cranberry, due to its composition, helps to strengthen the immune system and saturate the human body with vitamins, especially in the spring.
For this, it is recommended to take such a drink.: Pour a handful of berries with 0.5 liters of hot water, leave to infuse, then strain and drink like tea. You can add honey.
Second drink option: cranberries grated with sugar (2 tablespoons) are poured with boiling water, infused. The finished drink is drunk like regular tea.
Cranberry - rejuvenating berry:
Cranberries during pregnancy
Cranberries also benefit pregnant women. This can be explained by the large amount of ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is able at this time to protect a woman from viruses and infections., well helps to strengthen the immune system.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for pregnant women is 120-150 mg. Morse or cranberry jelly in the amount of 1 cup contains just such an amount of vitamin.
A little honey can be added to enhance the benefits. It is necessary to consume cranberries in this form in the mode 3 through 3, that is, 3 days reception, 3 days off.
Also, cranberries are used as a remedy for the prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases. Every month the uterus of a pregnant woman enlarges. This leads to stagnant urine and cystitis or urethritis.
To avoid these troubles you should drink diluted fresh cranberry juice every day... It helps to improve blood flow in the placenta, maintain the tone of the blood vessels of a pregnant woman.
For pregnant women you should not eat cranberries in any form in the last stages of pregnancy... It increases the acidity of breast milk, which is harmful to the baby. The doctor determines the timing of discontinuation
Application in cosmetology
Cranberries have found their application in cosmetology. She copes well with skin conditions, such as scrofula, psoriasis, lichen, allergic skin rashes, burns. In all these cases, cranberry lotions or ointment are used.
To prepare the ointment, you will need berries (2 tablespoons), petroleum jelly (50 g) and lanolin (50 g). The fruits are ground and squeezed. Vaseline with lanolin is added to the resulting juice. Stir until smooth.
Storage ointment is placed in the refrigerator... Apply as needed, applying a thin layer to skin lesions.
In addition, cranberries are included in many cosmetics for the face and body. It helps to gently cleanse the skin of dead cells and nourish it.
Processing methods
Cranberries can be eaten not only raw. There are quite a few ways to recycle it.
The most famous are:
- Cranberries, grated with sugar... To do this, 2 kg of ripe berries are ground with a blender and mixed with 3 kg of granulated sugar. It is stored for a long time in the refrigerator or just in a cool place.
- Cranberry Kissel... A solution of 1 tbsp. tablespoons of starch and 1 tbsp. cold water is poured into water with sugar and crushed cranberries. Cook the mixture until it thickens for about 10-15 minutes. Then juice is poured into the resulting jelly, mixed and removed from heat. Kissel is ready to use.
- Cranberry jam... It can be cooked from only one cranberry, or it can be cooked with various additives, such as apples. 1 kg of apples, 1 kg of berries, 2 cups of chopped walnuts are poured with pre-prepared syrup and put on low heat. The mixture is brewed for 30 minutes with constant stirring. The finished jam is transferred to sterilized jars and rolled up.
- Morse... Berries (0.5 kg) are chopped in a blender, squeezed out the juice. Water is poured into the remaining berries and boiled for 5-10 minutes. The resulting broth must be filtered and squeezed juice added to it. Sugar or honey can be added to the fruit drink to taste.
Cranberries keep well and fresh for several months. For storage, choose a well-ventilated and cool place.
The berries themselves must be ripe and well dried. In addition, cranberries can be frozen or dried, and their shelf life increases.
Cranberries should be present in every person's diet... It brings many benefits to humans, is a kind of natural antibiotic. But at the same time, one should not forget about some of its contraindications.