Cranberries are one of the healthiest berries that grow in the wild. It is rich in vitamins and microelements necessary for the human body. Cranberry as a diuretic is widely used in the treatment and prevention of diseases that are accompanied by impaired fluid outflow. But, despite the fact that the fruits of the plant are very beneficial for the body, in some cases their use is contraindicated.
cranberries
Beneficial properties of cranberries
Cranberries contain a large number of useful substances. The berries are enriched with potassium, calcium, iodine, glucose, sodium and other microelements important for the body.
Cranberry has gained versatility in the treatment and prevention of diseases due to its rich composition. The benefits of the plant for the body are as follows:
- has a diuretic effect;
- helps resist pathogenic microorganisms;
- reduces body temperature;
- normalizes metabolism;
- strengthens the immune system;
- reduces cholesterol levels;
- removes harmful salts;
- strengthens the nervous system;
- normalizes skin condition.
Features of diuretic action
The effectiveness of treatment and prevention of diseases largely depends on the removal of toxins from the body. Cranberry has earned many positive reviews precisely because of its diuretic effect. Healing berries help remove toxic substances, harmful salts and sand. The complex diuretic effect improves the functioning of the urinary system. The benefits of regularly consuming fruits as a diuretic are as follows:
- gentle cleansing of sand, salt and small concretions (stones);
- normalization of kidney function;
- increasing resistance to infections;
- improving blood supply to the renal vascular system.
When treating, it is important to take into account that in the presence of large stones, cranberry, due to its diuretic effect, can provoke their movement. As a result, a person develops renal colic, which is accompanied by severe pain and without appropriate therapy can lead to serious complications. Therefore, before starting treatment, you need to visit a doctor and undergo an examination to rule out urolithiasis.
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Use of cranberries as a diuretic
Cranberries are an excellent diuretic, especially when prepared as a fruit drink, or in combination with other fruits and berries. This property is due to the ability of these fruits to remove toxins associated with unnecessary fluid from the body and normalize metabolism.
When consumed regularly, cranberry compote or fruit juice normalizes the acid-base balance, which also helps eliminate excess fluid and has a diuretic effect. These berries are an excellent folk remedy for treating many ailments.
The most positive reviews were noted when using fruits to treat infections or stones in the genitourinary system, which is due to their pronounced diuretic and uroseptic effect.
Did you know? Cranberry bushes are long-lived and can live 100 years or more.
Mechanism of action on the genitourinary system
Regular consumption of cranberries increases the glomerular filtration rate by regulating the tone of the renal vessels. Since these berries are rich in macro- and microelements, they normalize metabolism in the body, which also enhances the diuretic effect.
Properties and nutritional value of cranberries
In addition, the degree of tubular reabsorption of fluid decreases due to the saturation of the body with sodium and chlorine, which increases the amount of urine. Together with urine, calcium salts are released from the kidneys, which are the main factors that provoke the formation of stones and the development of urolithiasis.
Methods of application
You can eat the berries raw, in fruit drinks and juice, combining them with other fruits or on their own. You can also add these fruits to compotes and uzvars, and make jam from them.
In addition, for long-term storage you can use a recipe for soaking berries. To do this, you need to pour 20 glasses of fresh fruits with a glass of honey and 10 glasses of water. If desired, add spices (cinnamon and cloves).
How to collect
The shelf life and usefulness of cranberries depend on the time of harvest. The harvesting of berries takes place in 3 stages: in September, after the first frost, in early spring. Berries collected in the fall have maximum healing properties. When collecting fruits, it is important to take into account the degree of their ripeness, since the diuretic effect depends on this. If cranberries are collected in the spring after the snow melts, the berries are sweeter, but the content of nutrients in them is less than in the fall. When harvesting berries, you need to take into account the growing area. The plant tends to absorb harmful substances from the environment, which accumulate in the fruits.
Capable of storage
In order for cranberries to retain their healing properties as much as possible, they must be stored correctly. Canned berries have a healing effect, but they do not contain as many useful substances as fresh ones. Basic ways to store cranberries:
- Pour boiled water over the ripe berries and place them in a cool place, such as a cellar. This storage method is only suitable for fruits that have ripened under natural conditions. Beneficial properties last for 6-10 months.
- Pickling berries can significantly increase shelf life, but the fruits slightly lose their healing properties. The preparation process involves first soaking the cranberries in water and then adding vinegar and sugar.
- Freezing fruits is the easiest way to store them. The berries must first be sorted, washed and dried. The loss of beneficial properties during freezing is minimal.
- Drying the berries is not suitable for people who use cranberries for medical purposes. During processing, fruits largely lose their beneficial properties. The advantage is that the shelf life of such berries is 5 years.
You can also store cranberries by first processing them, for example, in the form of jam, jelly, or compote. The downside of the preparations is that boiled berries are less healthy.
In what form is cranberry healthier?
“We have always known that cranberries are a kind of heritage of our republic, but still, what exactly are its benefits, in what form is the berry healthier and can everyone use it?” Tatiana, Glusk.
photo pixabay.com
The healing properties of cranberries have long been used by our ancestors to treat many diseases; they are extremely wide and varied, primarily their antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects.
It is especially good to use cranberries in the complex treatment of viral diseases, since they enhance the effect of antibiotics and strengthen the immune system. By consuming cranberries daily, a person significantly reduces the possibility of developing colds. Eating cranberries is recommended for people with vascular pathology and heart disease to lower blood cholesterol levels. Cranberry is useful for unstable blood pressure. Due to the high content of vitamin B and potassium in it, the effect of strengthening the nervous system is achieved and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is improved. Berries can relieve heartburn and improve digestion. Cranberries are often used as an aid in the fight against cystitis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis and other diseases of the genitourinary system.
Since ancient times, cranberries have been used to treat a dangerous disease of teeth and gums - scurvy, which developed due to a catastrophic lack of vitamin C in the body. The berry has not lost its relevance to this day - it is considered an excellent means of preventing caries and gum inflammation. Cranberry fruits are rich in vitamin C, in this respect they are equal to oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and strawberries. The pectins contained in significant quantities in cranberries are of greatest practical importance. Among the vitamins, fruits contain B1, B2, B5, B6, PP. Of the acids in berries, citric acid predominates, as well as benzoic, quinic, malic, oleic, oxalic, and succinic. The main sugars are glucose and fructose. Cranberries are a valuable source of vitamin K1, just like cabbage and strawberries. Of the other substances in the fruit, there is a significant amount of potassium, less phosphorus and calcium. There is relatively a lot of iron, there is manganese, molybdenum, copper. In addition to them, there is iodine, magnesium, barium, boron, cobalt, nickel, tin, lead, silver, titanium, chromium, and aluminum. 100 g of product contains 46 kcal. The combination of vitamins C and P in cranberries is unique, which helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Cranberry removes toxic substances and radionuclides from the body. The berry is considered a powerful expectorant and antiseptic, and also helps with dysbacteriosis.
Recipes with cranberries
In folk medicine, recipes with cranberries are varied. The berry is used in the treatment of many diseases. In the treatment of pathologies associated with impaired fluid outflow, the following options are used:
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- Cranberry juice. To prepare the drink, the washed berries are crushed after being thoroughly washed. Then the mixture is squeezed through cheesecloth. The resulting juice is drunk, diluted with water. You can add sugar or honey to the drink to reduce the acidity.
- Berry infusion. The drink can be made from fresh or dried cranberries. To prepare the infusion, you need to pour 2 tablespoons of crushed fruits into a thermos and pour a glass of boiling water. After 5-6 hours, the decoction is ready for use.
- Cranberry kvass. The cooking process begins with mixing 500 g of berries and 3 cups of granulated sugar. Then you need to pour 2 liters of boiled water into the mixture and leave to cool. Add 50 g of dry yeast to the cooled syrup and place in a warm, dark place. After a day, the drink is ready for consumption. Kvass must be stored in the refrigerator to prevent souring.
Cranberry juice
To enhance the flow of urine, it is effective to eat fresh berries mixed with sugar. Patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are recommended to drink cranberry jelly. Tea made from the leaves of the plant also has a diuretic effect.
Cranberry and lingonberry benefits for the body
July 02, 2021
Cranberry
Dietary, low-calorie product. There are only 25 kcal per 100 g of berries, although due to the sour taste you won’t be able to eat a lot of them raw. In addition to its low calorie content, the berry is a record holder for the content of valuable esters, ascorbic acid, malic, oxalic, ursolic, and succinic acids. It is best to consume this berry fresh, as it retains the maximum amount of nutrients.
Useful substances: vitamins C, PP, K, B1, B2, many organic acids, micro- and macroelements, flavonoids, sugars, pectin, coloring, nitrogenous substances, tannins, phytoncides. The high content of benzoic acid allows cranberries to be stored without adding preservatives and without heat treatment for a long time.
Beneficial features:
· Cranberry is an excellent natural medicine for hypertensive patients. Thanks to the microelements it contains, it can influence cholesterol levels in the blood and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
· can increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, as it contains a sufficient amount of iron.
· a large amount of fiber in the composition has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
· is able to accelerate metabolism and accelerate the burning of carbohydrates, thereby promoting faster weight loss.
· when reducing weight, the berry gives a head start to many popular dietary supplements.
· for colds, as well as to maintain immunity during an epidemic of colds.
· improves appetite and digestion.
· also have a weak diuretic and bactericidal effect and are useful for pyelonephritis and infections of the genitourinary system.
· good for the cardiovascular system (helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels)
· lowers cholesterol levels in the blood and prevents the formation of blood clots, thereby reducing the risk of developing cerebral strokes
Interesting facts about cranberries
1. Every year one small cranberry bush bears 200-300 berries.
2. Cranberries grow in extremely wet places - such as swamps and wet lake shores.
3. A unique feature of cranberries is that the berries, stored in wooden barrels with water, remain fresh for a whole year, until the next harvest. Cranberries can also be preserved throughout the winter by soaking them in a mild sugar syrup.
4. Cranberries are used in medicine as a cure for scurvy, sore throat, colds, urinary tract infections, rheumatism and vitamin deficiencies.
5. Cranberries consist almost entirely (90%) of water.
6. It is customary to collect cranberries twice a year - in the fall and with the onset of frost right before the start of winter.
7. The ripeness of cranberries can be checked by throwing the berry on the table - a ripe cranberry should jump.
8. Cranberry bushes can live up to hundreds of years.
Cowberry
Lingonberries do not grow near large cities and industrial centers, as they prefer ecologically clean areas, so you will have to leave the city a fair distance to collect them. Lingonberries are the record holder for magnesium content. It is often recommended for pregnant women with late gestosis and the development of edema, since the berry has a pronounced diuretic effect.
Useful substances: vitamins A, C, E, B2, carbohydrates, citric, salicylic, malic and other organic acids, pectin, carotene, tannins, glucose, sucrose, fructose. Lingonberries are also rich in other microelements - potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron can be found in its composition.
Useful material:
· during the period of bearing a child, lingonberry juice, containing carotene, ascorbic acid, other vitamins and nutrients, is especially useful.
· participate in the functioning of the muscular system, the excellent condition of which is so important during childbirth; they maintain a normal nervous system, improve mood and reduce the risk of developing depression.
· with the help of vitamin P, blood pressure is normalized and swelling subsides.
· Lingonberries will take care of the level of hemoglobin in the blood and reduce the load on the heart and blood vessels.
· fresh lingonberry fruits are used for hypo- and avitaminosis, as a laxative, diuretic, bactericidal, antiseptic, anthelmintic and choleretic agent.
· Drinking lingonberry juice improves appetite and digestion.
It is noteworthy that in lingonberries all parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, while in cranberries only the fruits are used. Thus, lingonberry leaves and shoots have a pronounced diuretic and antiseptic effect. Their infusion is used during epidemics as a prophylactic agent, and in case of viral and bacterial infections - as a means of maintaining immunity.
When taken regularly, this infusion has a therapeutic effect for joint diseases, gout and arthritis. This property is due to the ability of such tea to remove toxins and heavy metal salts from the body.
Inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract are also an indication for the use of lingonberries as an adjunct to drug therapy. Bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis - this healing berry will help you cope with all of this.
Interesting facts about lingonberries
1. Lingonberries bloom in early summer for only 15 days.
2. Lingonberries tolerate cold well and are able to overwinter under snow, retaining most of their properties.
3. Fresh lingonberries help with vitamin deficiencies and are used as a laxative, bactericidal, antiseptic and choleretic agent.
4. Patients suffering from high blood pressure drink lingonberry juice or fruit drink.
5. A tasty drink helps against anemia in women expecting a child, neuroses and hangovers.
6. A decoction of lingonberry leaves helps cure kidney diseases, gout, diabetes and rheumatism. It perfectly quenches thirst during a fever.
7. Lingonberries are used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis and kidney stones, and are used as a vitamin and anti-putrefactive agent.
Contraindications for use
Cranberry is useful and is used in the treatment of many diseases, but, like any other remedy, in some cases it is contraindicated and can harm the body. You should refrain from eating berries in the following cases:
- for diseases of the digestive tract with high acidity;
- in childhood (up to three years);
- with individual intolerance;
- during therapy with medications whose components are incompatible with cranberries;
- for liver pathologies;
- during breastfeeding;
- with hypotension (low blood pressure).
During pregnancy, you can add fruits to your diet only after consulting your doctor. People who have problems with tooth enamel should consume berries with caution, as high acidity can aggravate the condition. After eating cranberries, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with water to remove any remaining fruit.
Side effects
Most often, cranberries do not cause adverse reactions, but such an effect is still possible. In people suffering from diseases of the digestive tract, eating the berry can cause severe pain in the epigastric region (upper abdomen). In case of individual intolerance, the side effect manifests itself in the form of an allergy, which is accompanied by itching, skin rashes, etc. Excessive consumption of berries can cause stomach cramps even in a healthy person, since the fruits are very sour.
Cranberry is a safe natural diuretic. In addition to the diuretic effect, the berries have a general strengthening effect and enrich the body with vitamins and microelements. The fruits can be used both for disease prevention and treatment. But it is important to remember that for maximum effectiveness, an integrated approach is required. Any method of therapy must be agreed upon with a doctor so as not to harm the body. Cranberry, like other remedies, has contraindications that must be taken into account during treatment.
