THE SECRETS BEHIND OUR FAVOURITE FESTIVE FRUIT

CRANBERRIES in focus

Cranberries are prolific at this time of year – though their peak harvesting season is autumn (from around mid-September to mid-November) a large number of cranberries are frozen, dried or packed in airtight containers once picked, and shipped out to supermarkets, ready for the Christmas shoppers.

One of only three native fruits cultivated in North America, cranberries are a worldwide holiday favourite – perhaps because of their ruby red colour, sweet, yet punchy taste, and natural proclivity to complement spices such as cinnamon and ginger. But, beyond the bounds of Christmas and Thanksgiving, cranberries are also famed for their nutrientrich nature, impressive vitamin profile and ability to help tackle medical ailments, such as UTIs (urinary tract infections).

Cranberries’ integral proanthocyanidins (a type of antioxidant) could help prevent a range of diseases; though those who take blood thinners (such a warfarin) should check with their doctor before indulging in excessive amounts of cranberries – due to their high vitamin K levels, which could interfere with how the medicine works. Their preventative and medical benefits were brought to light by the Native Americans who, historically, used the fruit as a treatment for bladder and kidney disease, whilst other stories state that early settlers from England also used them to treat poor appetite, stomach complaints, blood disorders and scurvy. However, to gain these nutritional and medical benefits, many people turn to cranberry juice drinks and concentrates – unfortunately, though a tasty cocktail mixer, most cranberry juices contain far more sugar than they do vitamin value. The time-old health benefits you can gain from fresh cranberries (or even dried and dehydrated varieties, to a point) cannot be sourced from concentrated juices; it’s wise to consider cranberry juice, therefore, as a sugary treat, like you would lemonade or hot chocolate, rather than part of your everyday diet.