Cranberries

Cranberries are a round, red berry with a sour taste that grows naturally in the swamps of the northern hemisphere of our Earth. Cranberries belong to the heather family, which is represented by creeping small shrubs that live in the above-mentioned area.

All types of cranberries can be eaten. They have healing properties that have long been known to people who use cranberries for medicinal purposes. For example, they were used as a preventative measure against scurvy and vitamin deficiency, since cranberries contain a treasure trove of vitamins that help cope with these problems. They were used for coughs and fevers, and were also applied to ulcers and wounds as an antiseptic.

In addition, the red sour berries of this shrub are used in cooking (for example, for jams and preserves, fruit drinks and compotes, pie fillings) and in the food industry (for the same purposes).

Fruit drinks, juices, infusions and decoctions of cranberries are used in modern folk medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. We will introduce the reader to these recipes, as well as to a list of ailments for which cranberries are effective, a little below.

Cranberry varieties

For the average person, not versed in botany, all cranberries are the same - red, round and sour. But, like any other plant, this useful berry has varieties.

Cranberry varieties differ from each other in berry size, color shades, taste, ripening time and yield.

Here are the names of the most common varieties of cranberries:

• Ben Lear or Early Black.

This variety of cranberries is one of the earliest to ripen, and this fact is the undoubted advantage of this type of berries. Having planted Ben Lear in his garden bed, the gardener will be able to harvest already at the end of August. The variety has a good yield - approximately two kilograms per square meter of land.

Externally, cranberries of this variety look like large dark-burgundy berries. The taste is sour with some cloyingness. It is stored fresh for no more than two weeks.

• Franklin.

This variety of useful berries has a medium ripeness period. Therefore, it makes sense to go to the garden to collect this cranberry no earlier than mid-September. The yield of the variety is about one and a half kilograms of berries from each meter of soil.

The berries are bright red in color and can be stored fresh in a cool place for up to four months.

• Stevens.

This variety is a late-ripening cranberry variety. Its time is late September – early October. Its advantages include the formation of a powerful vegetative system, as well as resistance to diseases. The yield of the variety is more than two kilograms per square meter of the plot.

This variety is similar in color to the previous one, and can be stored without any processing under proper conditions for almost a whole year.

When are cranberries harvested?

Those who like to stock up on this useful berry are quite rightly interested in when they usually collect cranberries? We answer the question.

Cranberries have three deadlines during which they need to be collected:

• September – from the seventh to the tenth. These berries can be soaked in water and get soaked cranberries.
• November – with the first frosts. Now the cranberries are subject to freezing in the freezer.
• Early spring – when the berries, not picked by amateurs, have overwintered under a thick layer of snow.

Some experts believe that unripe cranberries should not be taken, since they do not store well and lose their beneficial properties. Other authorities, on the contrary, advise not to miss even slightly green berries: let them ripen at home and then use them as intended.

There is no disagreement about berries frozen in November. Experts unanimously claim that cranberries retain their qualities even when frozen. The only remark concerns berries picked in the spring - they are almost completely lacking in vitamin C, so the berry has a sweeter taste. And this, of course, affects its beneficial properties, which are used to improve the health of the body.

Cranberry picking

Of course, cranberries do not grow in all areas. Their homeland is considered to be Russian, North American and Karelian marshy areas. You can also find cranberries in places where there is standing water, warm lakes and rivers. Sometimes you will be lucky enough to "meet" the berry on the slopes of ravines near water bodies prone to swamping.

It is not recommended to collect cranberries near roads, various burial sites and industrial facilities. Since the berry tends to accumulate radiation and various toxins released into the air, water and soil.

In some countries, cranberry harvesting is legally regulated. In this case, you can only “hunt” for the berry during a specific period in order to maintain a balance in the ecosystem.

The correct way to collect cranberries is as follows. You need to pick only the berry, and leave the rest of the plant intact. Cranberries are collected by hand, and the berry itself is placed in a bag, basket or backpack. In this case, you need to be careful not to damage the branches and leaves of the plant. You also need to watch your step carefully so as not to step on the bush and destroy the plant. Feeling the area with a stick is also not a good way to solve the problem of collection. After all, in this way you can accidentally get into the bush and cause damage to it.

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What are the benefits of cranberries?

When autumn comes, northern cranberries are scattered on store shelves and market stalls. Many people pass by this product because not everyone has an idea of what cranberries are good for?

Cranberry has truly unique qualities of a natural antiseptic and antimicrobial agent. It fights many infections, helps to strengthen the body's defenses. In addition, cranberry has powerful antioxidant properties, which helps to remove toxins and excess substances from the body.

Cranberry tones and strengthens blood vessels, and at the same time helps improve mental and physical performance. Eating the berry helps increase resistance to stress, and also improves memory and mood.

Cranberries help regulate metabolic processes in the body, which helps normalize a number of health problems. Cranberries “solve” digestive tract problems associated with low acidity quite simply. The liver and gallbladder, kidneys and bladder will also be “grateful” to this berry for its undoubted contribution to establishing their normal functioning.

Cranberries are a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances, so they can confidently be called a “mini-pharmacy” on your table.

Harmful effects of cranberries

Any product can be a medicine, or it can be a poison. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the human body, as well as the doses of the useful product.

If there are contraindications, which were discussed above, cranberries should not be consumed by patients with certain diseases.

Also, cranberries should not be eaten in large quantities: neglecting this rule can lead to an imbalance in the human body.

Dentists have discovered the harm cranberries cause to teeth. The fact is that cranberries contain many acids that can destroy tooth enamel. Therefore, after eating cranberries, you must rinse your mouth with warm water. It is better to drink fresh cranberry juice or fruit drink through a straw to minimize the harm the berry can cause to your teeth. And then rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

You shouldn't eat cranberries on an empty stomach, especially drink juices and fruit drinks from them. Even a healthy person can feel the aggressiveness of acids that affect the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

Otherwise, cranberries are a healthy and healing berry, so many people can enjoy them and use them for their own pleasure.

Contraindications to the use of cranberries

Contraindications to the use of cranberries in food (or for medicinal purposes) are not as extensive as the list of its beneficial qualities and healing properties.

And at the same time, patients with various liver diseases, gastritis with high acidity, ulcerative and erosive diseases of the gastrointestinal tract must exclude cranberries from their diet or not include them in the menu at all.

Cranberries are also contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to one or more components of the fruit. For example, in case of allergic reactions that occur when eating the berry.

You should not abuse the consumption of berries, but it is better to include them in the diet in small doses for patients complaining of gout, urolithiasis and the presence of urate stones in the kidneys.

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Cranberry for gout

Gout is a disease in which purine metabolism in the patient's body is disrupted. Its mechanism is characterized by the accumulation of urate crystals in various tissues. These crystals are deposited both in the form of sodium monourate and in the form of uric acid. The nature of the disease is characterized by impaired renal function, in which uric acid cannot be excreted from the kidneys in the proper volume and accumulates in them. After which this acid increases its concentration in the blood and is distributed to various organs and systems. The kidneys and joints suffer most from urate deposition, the normal functioning of which begins to deteriorate.

This heterogeneous disorder manifests itself in the form of symptoms of recurrent acute arthritis, as well as in the form of gouty nodes called tophi. Gout most often manifests itself in males. Although recently the number of gout cases among women has been rapidly increasing. It should also be noted that gout is an age-related disease: the older a person is, the greater the chances of getting gout.

Cranberries for gout are included in the category of products that should be excluded from the patient's diet. Since they contain a large amount of purines, which provoke the occurrence of gout. For those wishing to obtain more information, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with Pevzner's diet No. 5.

Dried cranberries

Dried cranberries change their taste from sour to sweet and acquire a strong and pleasant aroma. This product is made from fresh fruits of large size and excellent juiciness. Processing of berries involves squeezing out juice from cranberries, which is enriched with sugar syrup. After that, this concentrate is introduced back into the berry, and then dried in compliance with the technology. At the same time, a certain part of the useful substances, as well as some amount of moisture, is retained in the product. Which subsequently affects the fact that dried cranberries are quite juicy and more intense in taste.

Some dried cranberry producers have a technology of coating the berries with a small amount of vegetable oil. This is done to prevent the berries from becoming brittle.

Dried berries, like fresh ones, contain strong antioxidants. They affect the body's resistance to various infectious diseases, and also remove toxins and excess substances, such as cholesterol, from it.

Dried cranberries can "boast" of a rich vitamin composition. They contain vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E and K. Of the microelements, the presence of potassium and magnesium, iron and phosphorus, manganese and zinc, calcium and copper has been found.

Cranberries also contain a good dose of essential fiber: approximately seven and a half grams per one-third cup.

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Puree cranberries

For the winter, housewives like to prepare cranberries, mashed with sugar. This homemade preparation is very useful in winter as a general tonic that increases immunity. And also as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic natural medicine for viral and colds. In addition, cranberries, as a strong antiseptic, are important in getting rid of many infections that the human body is susceptible to. Especially in winter.

The mashed cranberries are prepared as follows. Take one kilogram of fresh berries and one kilogram of sugar. The cranberries are sorted, washed and dried. After which a puree is prepared from them, which is made using a blender, meat grinder or food processor. Then the cranberry puree is covered with granulated sugar, mixed and left for several hours until the sugar is completely dissolved. At the very end, the cranberries need to be placed in sterilized jars, covered with lids and stored in the refrigerator.

Dried cranberries

Dried cranberries are a product that has been processed in a certain way. For this purpose, fresh cranberries are poured with sugar syrup and boiled until the berries begin to stick together. Then the cranberries are transferred to parchment, on which they are distributed evenly. After that, the berries are transferred to the oven, where they are dried for three hours. At the end of this period, the parchment must be changed, and the cranberries must be returned to the oven again, where they continue to be processed for another four to six hours.

To make dried cranberries, use fresh berries picked at the end of September. Berries with a shine, plump and especially intensely colored are suitable. You need to part with spoiled and soft berries and those that have lost their color.

Dried cranberries are easy to store and do not lose their qualities. In addition, this product has beneficial properties that are manifested in the treatment of kidney, liver, and pancreatic diseases. Hypertension, Addison's disease, fever, ascites, diathesis, metabolic disorders, and rheumatoid diseases - this entire "bouquet" of diseases is successfully treated by using dried cranberries in the diet.

Just like fresh cranberries, dried cranberries have antipyretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, anti-sclerotic and anti-scorbutic properties. Dried cranberries are also able to regulate water-salt metabolism in the body, as well as normalize the activity of the pancreas. In addition, substances contained in cranberries have been noted in the suppression of the cholera vibrio.

Dried cranberries can be consumed as a stand-alone product. They are also used as decoration in various desserts. Tea lovers enjoy adding dried cranberries to tea. Some cooks use this product as a substitute for raisins and other candied fruits in baking. In addition, dried cranberries can be used to make fruit drinks or compotes, kvass or jelly, and even extract.

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Pickled Cranberries

Pickled cranberries are a homemade preparation that will diversify the winter shortage of vegetables, fruits and berries.

Take one kilogram of cranberries, half a kilogram of apples or pears, two hundred grams of sugar, six hundred ml of water, one hundred sixty ml of vinegar, a little cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and rock salt.

The cranberries are sorted and washed. The fruits are washed and cut into four parts, after which they are lowered into boiling water for three minutes (apples) or for five minutes (pears). Then they are taken out and cooled: apples should be placed under running water, and pears simply in cold water.

The marinade is prepared. The water is brought to a boil, sugar and salt (to taste) are dissolved in it, and spices (to taste) are added. Then vinegar is added to the liquid, and the marinade is placed on the fire and brought to a boil. The berries are combined with the fruits, mixed and laid out in sterilized jars. Everything is poured with hot marinade, rolled up with metal lids, previously boiled, and placed in a saucepan filled with hot water. This container is placed on the fire, brought to a boil, and the jars are sterilized in this way for fifteen minutes.

Why do you dream about cranberries?

Women are big fans of looking into the future. There are many ways that are passed down from generation to generation, one of them is dream interpretation. Of course, it is worth keeping silent about the reliability of this means of making forecasts. Perhaps it helped someone to jump over time, and someone else did not, we will not judge.

In dreams, various strange events happen, sometimes very realistic, sometimes similar to a science fiction film. It is not surprising if a beautiful lady or even a representative of the strong half of humanity dreams of a cranberry. Probably, this will not happen by chance, so let's try to figure out what cranberries dream of?

Let's turn to dream books for an answer. So, cranberries dream of good news that will definitely await a person in the future. The illnesses that tormented a person should leave him, and the long-awaited recovery should come. Health will be strengthened, and well-being will improve.

If a person eats cranberries in a dream, it means that the person's lifestyle will become healthier and more fulfilling. Or in the future, the owner of the dream will have a wedding with a loved one. Also, eating cranberries can mean some big holiday, which will be an important event in a person's life.

There is, of course, some bad news for those who like to read dream books. If you dream of picking cranberries from under the snow, it means that some unpleasant troubles or worries are coming in the future. But those who are warned will cope with difficulties perfectly well and find the best solution to problems.

Cranberry Reviews

There are many people who like to use cranberries as a medicine and dessert. Therefore, the Internet is filled with reviews from those who have tried cranberries, for example, as a delicious dessert for tea or as a filling for pies. And compotes, fruit drinks and kissels are traditional winter drinks that help cope with vitamin deficiency.

Naturally, one cannot ignore those references in which the authors share their results of treating certain diseases.

So, reviews about cranberries:

• Anastasia, 31: "I decided to treat my family and bake an easy-to-make cranberry pie. We really liked the pastry, I'll try to make other desserts with cranberries."
• Vladimir, 49: "After doctors diagnosed me with chronic cystitis, I decided to try cranberry juice. I drank two glasses of freshly prepared juice a day. And I did this for a whole month. I felt better, the pain and inflammation stopped. I will continue the treatment."
• Karina, 22: "I have very oily skin, with an unpleasant shine. I read that cranberry masks help to cope with such problems. I started using a cranberry mask three times a week. The result was pleasing - the skin became drier, the pores narrowed, and the complexion improved."
• Elena, 28: "I really like cranberry juice, especially with honey. In winter, I specially stock up on cranberries and make juice for the whole family. My husband, I and the kids drink the drink, and we almost never get sick in the winter cold."
• Stanislav, 53: "I love cooking. I read a recipe for pork with cranberries and cottage cheese casserole on the Internet. I decided to surprise my wife and children, so I cooked both of these at once. I received rave reviews and intend to try cooking other dishes with cranberries."

To sum it up, I would like to say that cranberry is an amazing berry that combines both medicinal and taste qualities. It is worth stocking up on it in the autumn-winter period to diversify your menu and be able to cope with various ailments in the autumn slush and winter cold.