Why Is The Cranberry So Much In Demand? Fad Or Superfood?

By: rwakefield


So what exactly is the 'cranberry berry', and what makes it as good as everyone says?

The Cranberry shrub is a fairly innocuous looking small evergreen characteristically discovered in bitter swamps in the colder regions of North America and Canada.

The berry of the cranberry shrub begins as a simple pale white color, but as it develops and ripens it transforms to a rich scarlet color.

Although it is part of the same plant group as the bilberry, the cranberry berry is a bit a lot more acidic, which helps to work well with the fruity sweetness, giving it access to that unique group in the culinary world of ingredients that are served with meat and poultry based meals in addition to cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries and candies.

Cranberries possibly got their name from the fact that they are usually eaten by cranes (ie 'crane-berry') - although a few people adhere to the theory that the true etymology of the name is based on the observable fact in the the early days of the flower's growth, it looks a little like the outline of the crane. Regardless of the reason, the name 'cranberry' is now renowned through the known world.

Cranberries are now a serious financial cash crop in a few US States (in the north), and now have a distinct role in American culture as it is believed that they were offered to early settlers by the original native population. Because of this, cranberry sauce is a significant ingredient in the beloved thanksgiving meal enjoyed by many millions of Americans every year since.

The majority of the annual cranberry crop is processed into cranberry juice and cranberry jelly, however an increasing amount it is now sold in its raw form as a consequence of medicinal claims that it is one of the 'superfoods', having extremeley useful nutritional content and antioxidant characteristics.

In early times, these versatile and tasty berries were cultivated in cranberry beds located in moisture rich wetlands, however more recently the beds are located in elevated areas with a water table that is fairly shallow. In these locations, contrary to popular belief, the cranberry beds are not kept submerged but are continuously irrigated to ensure a high moisture level in the soil.

Cranberry juice is now extremely popular every country, and as well as the ubiquitous 'burgundy' juice, is also on the shelves in a 'white' form which is made from less mature berries.

Medical properties of cranberries

It is popularly believed that the juice of the cranberry is blessed with medical benefits which help to prevent infections of the urinary tract.

Also, it has been useful in treating a number of other conditions and illnesses, such as a remedy for open wounds, bowel problems, diabetes, stomach aches, and as an aid to a healthy liver. A bit of research has been completed which indicates that everyday drinking of cranberry juice might also help to reduce the chances of coronary disease.

As with all similar health claims, you must practice extreme discretion - qualified professional opinion is not 100% in agreement and the most sensible reason for eating these tasty berries is the observable fact they actually are tasty and nutritious! As mentioned previously, these versatile berries are used to make both sweet and meat based dishes, with the most widely known use being as an accompaniment to the traditional roast turkey. Don't let this 'good old fashioned' use put you off though, these tasty berries are also quite superb when used in sweet dishes.

If you want to try cooking some flavorsome recipes for cranberry you can find many of them on the web, but to help you test this theory for yourself, here is a delicious cranberry recipe:

Cranberry cobbler recipe

Recipe ingredients

one Thick-skinned orange

1 cup water

half a cup Granulated sugar (or equivalent low carb sugar substitute)

4 cups These tasty berries

one tablespoon Unsalted butter

one pack Biscuit dough (to bake eight biscuits).

How to prepare

Grate the rind of the orange, and reserve. Put the rest of the orange thru a juicer. Combine the juice of the orange, the grated orange rind, water, granulated sugar replacement, these tasty berries and dairy butter in a medium non-stick saucepan. Bring to a boil & heat for 1 min until you have a nice rich sauce.

Split the cranberry sauce equally among eight well greased ovenproof baking dishes or even into a casserole dish. Cover the cranberry sauce with the biscuit mix.

Cook at 450 f (230 c) for 10 minutes, reduce setting and bake at 180 c (350 f) for 20 min longer.

serves 8.

Only 98 calories per serving !


Roger is a recipe contributor at: "recipe-ideas", which offers cooks and chefs a selection of healthy cranberry recipes that are easy to prepare at home.