What is a cranberry & why is it good for me?. Review on Cranberry Juice

Cranberries are small round hard fruits grown on slender vines in bogs. Most people know cranberries as cranberry sauce-that jelly in a can we were all raised with. In Southeastern Massachusetts, home to approximately half of all the growers in the US, cranberries are an important part of the local economy. Cranberry Harvesting with red berries floating against the fall palette of trees is spectacular to watch. Sitting here about 15 minutes from Ocean Spray's corporate headquarters we have instant access to all kinds of cranberry information.

Did you know?

The cranberry is one of only three fruits first found in North America (the other two are blueberries and the concord grape)

Cranberries are a prime source of Vitamin C-an 8 oz glass of Cranberry juice holds 130% of the RDA of Vitamin C

Researchers have found that drinking cranberry juice can both reduce the incidence and severity of urinary tract infections. Cranberry juice alters the ph of the bladder making it less hospitable to bacteria.

Some research suggests that cranberries, because they contain high levels of antioxidents may also be of some benefit in cancer prevention.

So how are cranberries grown?

The bogs-large square fields are dug out to a depth of about three feet. The soil must be acid and sandy. The young plants will take several years to produce fruit. Most farmers will have beehives nearby to insure pollination of the cranberry flower in the spring. Throughout the growing season, the bogs will be tended to by weeding, introduction of beneficial insects, and the careful use of pesticides. The cranberry crop like so many others is very dependent on the right balance of sun and rain. Harvest begins in mid-September and continues into October with each variety having it's own time. Cranberries are harvested by two distinct methods. Those that will be sold fresh as whole berries are dry picked. A lawn mower sized picking machine is pushed up and down the rows and it separates the cranberries from the vine and collects them. This method is used for approximately 10% of the crop. Most cranberries will be wet harvested. In wet harvesting, the bogs are flooded to about three feet the day before harvesting is planned. A large egg beater type machine agitates the water and the cranberries float off the vines. Since cranberries float, this process turns the whole bog red. The floating berries are netted from the edges to one side where they are vacuumed up into waiting trucks. It's not unusual to see huge trucks brimming with cranberries rumbling down the road on an October morning to the processing plant. Cranberries are tested and divided by quality. The sorting machine is based on a hundred year old design. It seems a farmer had a sore leg and was unable to carry his berries down the stairs so he threw them down. He noticed that many of the berries bounced down the stairs. Looking more closely, he discovered the cranberries that didn't bounce were bad. After sorting, the cranberries are on their way to being made into juice, cranberry sauces and relishes or dried. (like raisins).

And what can you do with them?

Whole berries and berry products can be used to create recipes for every course on the dinner table. You can use dried cranberries (aka craisins) as a substitute for raisins in cookies, breads etc. Whole cranberries purchased fresh can be frozen for several months without harm. No preparation is needed-just toss the bag in the freezer. For more recipes than you can imagine, visit Ocean Spray's web site.

Before you go buy that juice.....

Be clear about what you are getting-because cranberries are naturally tart-most ''juice'' is really ''juice drink'' and not 100% juice. Look for labels that say 100% juice. (this doesn't mean 100% cranberry-but that instead of sugar the product is ''sweetened'' with another fruit juice -typically apple).

For those who use cranberry juice specifically to decrease/prevent urinary tract infections-be aware that some companies (Ocean Spray being one of them) are now adding calcium to their juices, Check with your physician to see if you need to minimize your calcium intake and choose accordingly.

For those who find cranberry juice a little strong-cut it with some club soda for a refreshing drink.