Useful properties of a cranberry for an organism are known far outside its natural area of growth. Berry loves severe climate, but even in such severe conditions managed to concentrate in itself the mass of useful substances which help with treatment and prevention of various diseases.
What the cranberry is rich with: caloric content, vitamins and minerals
The main value of this gift of the nature consists in huge amount of vitamins, especially vitamin C. In addition the cranberry contains useful substances of groups K, PP, E, B.
Berry can brag of considerable contents in it various organic acids which have antimicrobial effect, promote exchange and digestive processes in an organism. Therefore treatment of cold a cranberry, prevention of bacterial and viral infections is very popular.
Whether you know? It appears, separate substances of a fruit are capable to suppress development of caries on teeth.
Besides berry contains various minerals: manganese, iron, magnesium, potassium, nickel, molybdenum, chrome, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, aluminum and other substances, important for normal work of an organism.
As the cranberry contains huge amount of fructose and glucose, it is an additional powerful power source for muscles and nervous tissues. Also these substances help to regulate acid-base balance in an organism, to synthesize cholesterol.
Apply cranberry berries to strengthening of vessels and immunity which useful properties and contraindications are studied long ago. It is promoted by the flavonoids which are in them which positively influence vessels, work of the immune system, reduce inflammatory processes in an organism. They reduce risk of thromboses, formation of cholesteric plaques. Respectively, this fruit is recommended to use as prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The cranberry also contains cellulose and tannins.
At such high degree of usefulness berry has low caloric content: no more than 28 kcal on 100 g of a fresh product. The cranberry dried keeps the same useful properties, but in the same amount of dried berries there will be already about 300 kcal. Also concentration of useful substances will be higher. On structure in 100 g 90 g of water, 0.07 g of proteins, 6.5 g of carbohydrates, 1.36 g of fats, 3.6 g of saccharides, 0.3 g of ashes, 2 g of cellulose contain.
Than the cranberry is useful
What the advantage of berries in general consists in, we understood. Now let's consider specifically what influences and what is promoted by the use of this treasury of vitamins.
For men
The main advantage of berries for a strong half of mankind consists in excellent prevention of urinogenital infections. The mechanism of preventive action is that the substances which are contained in berry do not allow pathogenic bacteria to settle in a bladder, to be fixed on its walls and to create colony. However, to reach this effect, it is necessary to use it continuously within a year. What is interesting, the cranberry at cystitis of a chronic form copes with a disease at women quicker, than at men.
For children
Berry is useful not only to prevention of catarrhal diseases, treatment of ORZ, mitigation of cough. It is used as soft, but effective febrifuge. In addition it promotes formation of strong and healthy muscles, bones, tooth enamel, skin. It is useful to the children suffering from an anemia that is especially relevant in the conditions of city life. Appoint it also at incontinence of urine at children.
Cranberry drink helps to improve appetite of the child, to strengthen his immunity, especially in dangerous off-season. It is recommended to drink during intake of antibacterial medicines to strengthen their action. The only thing, it is impossible to give it to children of baby age not to provoke an allergy.
For weight loss
Considering features and useful properties of fruits, they are successfully used for weight loss. On their basis even the special diet is created. The central place in it is taken by cranberry juice which advantage consists not only in saturation of an organism useful substances. 2-3 teaspoons of juice mix in a glass of mineral water and use in the morning on an empty stomach. It is necessary to do it at least within a week. At this time it is necessary to exclude fat and fried dishes from food. In a week it is possible to dump up to 3 kg.
At pregnancy
Considering such huge amount of useful substances in berry, many are interested, the cranberry is how useful to pregnant women, it is possible or not to include it in a diet during this period. In this case it is important not to abuse a cranberry not to cause an allergy. For the rest it will be very useful as women during this period often suffer from diseases of urinary tract because of the increased content in progesterone hormone blood.
Antibacterial properties of berry help to fight also against pathogenic bacteria. The daily use of a small amount of fresh fruits and also tea helps to exclude reception of antibiotics from them. The use of a cranberry brings benefit and makes positive impact on an organism, at the same time excepting possible harm for pregnant women.
Application in traditional medicine: treatment by a cranberry
Medicinal properties of berry are known long ago therefore the tradition of use it in traditional medicine has wealth of experience.
At the weakened immunity
In this case recommend to drink fruit drink which not just increases immunity, but corrects digestion violations, helps to restore forces. The similar effect is rendered by the fresh and frozen berries.
Than a cranberry such berries as a wild strawberry, blackcurrant, sweet cherry, raspberry ordinary will be not less useful.
At cold
The cranberry is often used as febrifuge, from it cook tea, fruit drink. They have anti-inflammatory effect, improve the organism resilience to infections.
At a tonsillitis
Warm tea is also recommended at inflammation of tonsils. In addition prepare special means on the basis of juice of fruits: they are mixed in equal parts with honey, beet juice. This means is accepted three times a day on a teaspoon. Well proved also cranberry drink at a tonsillitis.
Important! At treatment of cold it is impossible to take a cranberry and drinks from it along with sulfamidny medicines. It can lead to emergence of stones in kidneys.
At a hypertension
For treatment of this disease use infusion from fruits. That to prepare it, it is necessary to fill up 2 tablespoons of berries in a thermos, to fill in them with boiled water, to close and leave for the night. Since morning to filter and drink on a half of a glass 3-4 times a day. The cranberry is used also in other types, there is a set of recipes at a hypertension.
At cystitis
At this disease use cranberry juice. It is diluted with water in a proportion 1 to 1, to taste add honey. This mix is accepted three times a day by no more than a quarter of a glass for time.
At diseases of joints
At treatment of pains in joints and other diseases the fruits are prepared in such a way: two spoons of berries wipe with sugar, and then fill in with a glass of boiled water. Mix should allow to infuse, and then to drink twice a day on a half-glass. But in general, the cranberry is useful to joints and in the raw.
As use a cranberry in cosmetology
Thanks to huge amount of vitamins and antioxidants the cranberry is applied in cosmetology. Masks from it promote food and rejuvenation of skin.
It is important! Before using a mask from a cranberry, it is necessary to make allergotest: to impose a small part of a mask on a wrist or a bend of an elbow and to wait for minutes 10. If after washing off skin did not redden, it is possible to use a mask on the person.
To prepare the toning mask from a cranberry, it is necessary to pound fresh berries (2 tablespoons) in gruel, to add the same spoon of olive oil and honey. Weight is carefully kneaded and densely put on a face. 10 minutes later wash away, using warm water, and finish washing cool.
For a moisturizing mask the fresh or frozen cranberry is used. In the latter case it should be defrozen previously. The tablespoon of berries is frayed with the same amount of kefir or sour cream and put on a face by the principle described above.
By means of a cranberry mask it is possible to narrow pores, having added the egg white beaten in foam in the pounded berries. Put a mask three times from temporary with an interval 5 minutes. After the last drawing five minutes later unmask, wash warm water and put nutritious cream on a face.
The cranberry is useful to women also as a srub. For this purpose berries crush in the blender, gradually adding oat flakes, and then and lemon juice there. The turned-out weight is applied to skin, constantly massing all sites of the person, except a zone around eyes. The procedure is carried out within three minutes.
On the basis of a cranberry it is possible to prepare a nutritious mask. Its ingredients: egg yolk, quarter of banana and cranberry (2 tsps). All this frays in dense gruel and is put by a thick layer on a face. Now it is possible to have a rest about 15 minutes then to unmask wet towel wipes and to wash warm water.
Cranberry in cookery: when to collect and how to prepare for the winter
Having understood how to be treated by a cranberry, it is necessary to find out how to collect and to prepare it. It is possible to use berry not only for treatment, but also in daily food. Begin to collect a cranberry in September, this process lasts to the first frosts. It remains and in the winter under thickness of snow therefore it is possible to continue collecting in the spring when snow begins to descend. But the most useful will be that berry which was picked right after maturing — in September. Spring berries more sweet, but in them there are already much less vitamins.
Whether you know? The Latin name of a cranberry is translated as sour berry. This creeping bush grows on the crude soil of swamps of the Northern hemisphere, but loves abundance of light. Moisture provokes emergence of a fungus on its roots, but it is grateful to it for the rich content of useful substances.
As for storage of the reaped crop, it is better to freeze it. For example, when the cranberry is used with a pressure, it is desirable to have the raw berry. Besides in the frozen look it keeps the greatest number of useful substances.
To prepare it thus, berries should be washed out and dried, having laid out a thin layer on a flat surface. Then even when freezing in a plastic bag of berry will not stick together. But it is better to store them in a food container. At a defrosting repeatedly it is impossible to freeze a product.
Berries can be stored in the wetted look. Having prepared by the principle described above, they are poured out in clean dry banks. Then fill in with the cooled boiled water. The closed banks can be stored on a balcony. In fact it turns out ready tincture on a cranberry which for a long time keeps useful substances.
Whether you know? The cranberry is considered the only berry capable to remain till the following harvest fresh, practically without having lost the properties.
It is possible to keep berry, having ground it with sugar. For this purpose use the meat grinder or the food processor. The cranberry and sugar are taken in equal proportions, but if you plan to roll up it in banks, sugar it is necessary to take more. The cranberry with honey will be much more useful. In this case it is taken in equal proportions too, mixing everything in the blender.
It is important! If you feel painful reaction of teeth to hot and cold, it testifies to the weakened enamel. In such cases the cranberry is not recommended to be used.
If there is an opportunity to gather a lot of cranberry, it is possible to make from it jam. For this purpose on kilogram of berries of sugar take about 1.5 kg, and waters — one and a half glasses. Berries are previously washed and blanch minutes five then they throw back on a colander. From water and sugar prepare syrup in which pour out a cranberry. The received mix should be cooked in one step minutes 50 then to roll up in banks. Of course, in that case it loses the majority of useful substances. Saying about how to make a cranberry, it is more preferable to fill in it with boiled water, but not to boil. Jam from it turns out very fragrant.
Contraindications
Though the cranberry is extremely useful berry which is even recommended by traditional medicine, it is necessary to use it extremely carefully.
First of all, with care it should be used that for whom stomach diseases are diagnosed, especially at gastritises with the increased acidity. Also the use at a duodenum ulcer will be dangerous. Even healthy people a cranberry are not recommended to accept it on a hungry stomach. After consumption of berry always rinse a mouth to avoid negative impact on tooth enamel. Berry is strong allergen therefore accurately should use it allergic persons and women during pregnancy. Extremely the use of a cranberry by children up to three years is not recommended. More senior are given absolutely gradually.
In other cases berry will perfectly support and will strengthen an organism, will help to get rid of infectious diseases, will accelerate recovery at cold or flu.