More than seventy years ago, scientists were prompted to investigate the added value that cranberries bring to the table. Cranberry juice has evolved, much like Aloe Vera, as a quintessential American folk remedy.
Cranberry’s medicinal properties have been recognized for centuries. Native Americans used raw cranberries as a wound dressing, while early settlers from England learned to use the berry, both raw and cooked, for a range of ailments, including appetite loss, digestive problems, blood disorders and scurvy. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may even help prevent some of the damage they cause. Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C as well, another important antioxidant. Cranberry juice is brilliant to alleviate fevers.
A recent study has shown that cranberries can reduce the ability of E. coli to adhere to the lining of the bladder and urethra, reducing the potential for urinary tract infections (UTI’s).