Better than Broccoli
Cranberries are phytochemical powerhouses packed with five times the antioxidant content of broccoli. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which can damage cellular DNA and may contribute to everything from premature aging of the skin to various types of cancer. When compared to 19 other common fruits in a recent study, cranberries were found to contain the highest level of cancer-fighting antioxidant phenols.
You’ll find the greatest number of vitamins and nutrients in the fresh cranberries now in season. Dried cranberries lose some of their nutritional value, as do canned ones. Happily, you can freeze bags of fresh berries and seal in the good stuff. They’ll last for years.
Fighting UTIs
Cranberries may be helpful in treating urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a recent Rutgers University study. Here’s why: The berries' natural condensed tannins, called proanthocyanidins, have anti-adhesive properties that prevent bacteria from clinging to urinary tract walls.
