Crazy About Cranberries
Happy November everyone! This month’s superfood is cranberries!
This berry has a very sharp sour taste which is why they are rarely, if ever, eaten raw. The most common ways to consume them are within juice, sauces, dried, or when powdered and blended within supplements. When you eat this bright colored berry, you are consuming high levels of carbs and fiber, and a significant number of vitamins and minerals. Not only are we gaining great nutritional value, but the most known health benefit of cranberries, is to protect our bodies against urinary tract infections.
A cranberry is composed of carbs and fiber. The main sugars in a berry are simple sugars including sucrose, glucose, and fructose. There is fiber within that is both soluble and insoluble. The insoluble fiber- pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose- passes through your digestive system meanwhile the soluble fiber may cause digestive symptoms such as diarrhea. There are plenty of vitamins and minerals as well. Vitamin C, being the most abundant, is a predominant antioxidant that is essential for the maintenance of skin, muscles, and bone. Manganese is present and essential for growth, metabolism, and the body’s antioxidant system. Vitamin E, K1, and copper are also present and essential for fat-soluble antioxidants and blood clotting. Other potential benefits of this tiny, but super berry, include stomach cancer and ulcer prevention, and the positive aid in heart health.
Try this simple homemade cranberry sauce recipe to celebrate and enjoy this month’s superfood!
Whole Cranberry Sauce
Makes 36, 1/2 cup servings
Ingredients:
- 3 and 1/2 pounds Cranberries, frozen
- 5 cups Brown sugar
- 6 cups Water
- 6 each Cinnamon sticks
- 6 tsp Allspice, ground
Directions:
In a pan, combine cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until everything starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and the sauce will thicken. Chill until ready to serve. Be sure to remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
Let us know how you like to enjoy cranberries!