In the last six years, medical research has indicated that cranberries may play an important role in maintaining urinary tract health. In a study conducted by a team of Harvard researchers in 1994, elderly women who drank 300ml. of cranberry juice daily reduced their odds of having infection by 58 percent. In a follow-up study published in October 1998, scientists from Rutgers University confirmed the Harvard study by pinpointing the compound existing in cranberries that prevents microorganisms from adhering to cells of the urinary tract. Cranberries have what Rutgers researchers call "anti-adhesion" properties that can help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
Visit the Cranberry Institute's Web site for more information on Urinary Tract Health: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/health/urinarytract.htm
In December 1998, a team of researchers from Tel Aviv University determined that the same "anti-adhesion" properties that prevent bacteria from forming in the urinary tract prevent bacteria from forming in the mouth. By creating a "bacteria-inhibiting" effect, cranberries might reduce the formation of harmful plaque that leads to gum disease..
Visit the Cranberry Institute's Web site for more information on Dental Health: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/health/dental.htm
An ongoing University of Wisconsin study is researching the cranberry's ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Scientists have found that cranberry extract contains polyphenol compounds called flavonoids, which may help maintain heart health. In fact, the Wisconsin study has already shown that the properties of cranberry juice that could contribute to inhibiting blood clotting, promoting blood vessel diameter and preventing clogged arteries are equivalent to those of red wine.
Visit the Cranberry Institute's Web site for more information on Heart Health: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/health/heart.htm
The flavonoid content of cranberries, including anthocyanins, proanthocyanins, and flavonols, make cranberries an important cancer fighter. Compared with 20 common fruits tested, cranberries demonstrated the highest fresh-weight content of flavonoids and related phenolic acids, making this berry a powerful source of potentially cancer-preventative phytonutrients and antioxidants. While findings linking cranberry's components to a decreased risk of cancer are preliminary, in vitro studies suggest cranberries contain components that can inhibit carcinogenesis.
Visit the Cranberry Institute's Web site for more details: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/emerging.htm
Research from Tel-Aviv University suggests that tannins found in cranberries may help in inhibiting the adhesion of bacteria in the stomach, including the Helicobacter pylori bacterium, which is the spiral bacteria responsible for gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric, duodenal and peptide ulcers as well as gastric cancer.
Visit the Cranberry Institute's Web site for more details: http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/health/ulcer.htm
These studies have shown that flavonoids isolated from cranberries may inhibit bacterial adhesion, the mechanism by which cranberry helps maintain urinary tract health, and possibly even helps in the prevention of periodontal disease and the formation of certain ulcers. Compounds in cranberry may also help prevent the progression of atheroscleroic plaques that lead to cardiovascular disease.
|
