General Information
Description:
Cranberry is an evergreen creeping shrub. It has flexible thread-like stems in length from 15 to 30 cm, with narrow oblong leaves, beneath ash-white color. Flowers are light purple, turned downwards. Cranberry is a berry, round or elongated, red and sour to taste.
Composition and Properties:
Cranberries are one of the most useful wild berries. Cranberry berries contain:
- vitamins C, PP, K, B1, B2;
- variety of organic acids;
- micro- and macroelements;
- flavonoids;
- sugars;
- pectin;
- coloring, nitrogenous tannins;
- phytoncides.
High content of benzoic acid allows to storage cranberries without adding preservatives.
Cranberries are a powerful natural remedy. It has property of resisting infections due to high concentration of tannin, as well as enhancing drugs effect. Therefore, it is used to treat gynecological diseases, to prevent formation of kidney stones, as a means to increase vitality, improve appetite and secretion of pancreas. Cranberries are applied for colds and diseases of genitourinary system, this is a good diuretic. Cranberry juice is useful in gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice, obesity, colitis.
Cranberries in form of juices, fruit drinks, extracts, honey extract are used in hypertension, malaria, anemia, rheumatism, tonsillitis, atherosclerosis, vascular spasms, headache, dropsy. Cranberries contain many antioxidants that reduce level of “bad” cholesterol in blood, and also have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
Cranberry juice well quenches thirst and reduces temperature in case of colds and flu.
In traditional medicine, cranberries are considered antidotes for poisoning by poisonous plants.
Indications:
Cranberry is applied in the following disorders treatment:
- gynecological diseases;
- kidney stones;
- cold;
- genitourinary system disorders;
- gastritis;
- anemia;
- hypertension;
- malaria;
- rheumatism;
- tonsillitis;
- atherosclerosis;
- headache;
- dropsy.
Contraindications
With a number of diseases, cranberries do not only have a beneficial effect, but also harm. What are contraindications for Cranberry use?
First of all, it is an individual intolerance to any cranberry components. This “intolerance” is manifested, as a rule, by usual allergic reaction after taking product – rash, redness, itching. It is because of the “allergies” that cranberries are not recommended to be consumed during lactation and by small children under 3 years of age.
With special care, one should take Cranberry who has such diseases as gout and urolithiasis.
Doctors do not recommend eating cranberries to people who have stomach ulcers or duodenal ulcers, and it is contraindicated for people with gastritis of increased acidity. During periods of exacerbation, use of berries can provoke severe pain. And in general, with regard to action on gastrointestinal tract, experts recommend that you dilute cranberry juice with water and avoid taking berries on an empty stomach, not to provoke excessive secretion of gastric juice and not irritate once again mucous membrane.
Dentists treat cranberries not very good. In their opinion, acids contained in berry can quickly destroy tooth enamel. It is for this reason, after taking cranberries (or juice), it is recommended to brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth with water.
When hypotension is present, use cranberries with caution, as it reduces high blood pressure.
If you do not fall under these categories of people, then the berry will benefit you only and you can use it both during illness and just to prevent a whole range of diseases.
Posted by RxMed