Cranberries and Raspberries – Part 1

Antioxidants are those pesky little vitamins and minerals that work overtime to protect our bodies against the damage that free radicals can wreak upon the organs and cells they attack. Antioxidants can be found in fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds. Chief among those fruits are cranberries and raspberries.

Many of us load up on cranberries around the holiday season whether it be as an adjunct to the Thanksgiving turkey or a fresh cranberry salad. But many also forget about the health benefits of eating this fruit throughout the year. Cranberries are a rich source of phytochemicals which work overtime in the prevention of cancer. Studies have shown that natural compounds found within the cranberry can stop the growth of several different types of cancer in the laboratory without harming normal cells. (1)

Of course, it is easier to stop the growth of the cancer cell in a petri dish than it is in the human body. And, it will probably take higher levels and doses of cranberries in the body to get the same effect, but researchers also theorize that it can help prevent cancers as well.

Recent research also suggests that cranberries are a good source of pterostilbene, a chemical that activates cells associated with fat metabolism. It is also effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels without the side effects of drugs manufactured in the lab. (2)

Another study also indicated that cranberry juice will help to increase levels of HDL in men who drank 8 ounces per day and that the antioxidant will also help to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which causes plaque formation in the arteries leading to coronary artery disease and heart attack. (3)

References:

(1) American Chemical Society: Holiday Fruit Ranks Number One in Antioxidants

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/11/011108064027.htm

(2) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Resveratrol, Pterostilbene and Piceatannol in Vaccinium Berries

http://phoenix.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/2379/1/IND43638994.pdf

(3) Tufts Journal: A Different Cocktail for the Heart

http://tuftsjournal.tufts.edu/2008/03/briefs/01/

(4) Nutrition Research: Red raspberries have antioxidant effects that play a minor role in the killing of stomach and colon cancer cells

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21130297

Resources:

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Antioxidant activity in fruits and leaves of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry varies with cultivar and developmental stage

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10691606

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of raspberries

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11982421

American Society for Horticultural Science: Antioxidants in Midwestern Black Raspberries Influenced by Where They Grow

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226160753.htm

The Cranberry Institute: The Health Benefits of Cranberries and Cranberry Products

http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/news/PR/PR062001.htm