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Cranberries are evergreen plants that are native to North America. These dwarf shrub plants are cultivated throughout the States, Canada, and Chile. They are short in height and grow up to 2 meters in height. The thin stems look like a wire with small evergreen leaves. Cranberry flowers are beautiful dark pink in color. The fruits that the plant bears are a small berry that is larger than the leaves of the shrub. The berry is sweet with an acidic taste.
More than 90% of the Cranberries found is grown in the United States, Canada, and Chile alone. It is consumed as juice, jam, or just the ripe berry, fresh, or dried. Cranberry is a plant-based berry that is highly beneficial.
Cranberry has gained its importance in medicines owing to the medicinal qualities it possesses. It is considered to be a superfood with a high nutritional value that it has. Cranberry is a prime antioxidant and has properties of being anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Owing to all these properties, the superfood berry is good for many health problems that human beings face.
Cranberries' prime use is to prevent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and even cure the infection. In the same line, it is beneficial for kidney health. Cranberry is also a good antibiotic and helps in curing a common cold. The berry juice is good for skin and acts as an anti-aging agent for skin tissues.
There can be a few side effects of overdosing with cranberry. The article provides all the information that you would need before using cranberry as a treatment.
The word cranberry is derived from the German word “kraanbere," which was used for the same purpose. The mention of the word Cranberry is seen by missionary John Eliot that dates back to 1647. In 1694, Germans and Dutch used the word "cranberry" to speak of flower, stem, calyx, petal, and the head and bill of a crane.
The Europeans used the name “fenberry” for a small red berry growing in fen type of wetland in England.
Being a small berry, cranberry has been used in food from the early times. The Native Americans used it as a staple even in the 1550s. They grew cranberry to be eaten fresh, mashed into jam, and even baked with bread. The berry was used as a survival ration for the months when winter kicked in.
By the 1620s, people outside Native America learned the use of cranberry and started growing it themselves. Within a century, people learned how to make cranberry juice.
American mariners carried cranberry on board and used it to prevent scurvy. During the time of wars, cranberry poultice was brewed. It used to help in taking out the poison that entered the body with arrows. Cranberry tea has been used for ages to calm nerves.
The rich color that the berry gives is a good and lasting dye. Cranberry juice used to use as a fabric dye in early times.
Cranberries are sour in taste and act as a drying agent. It provides heating energy and has a pungent effect that helps indigestion. Due to the antioxidant that it is, cranberries are often related to balancing the Pitta. However, cranberries have an effect on tri-Dosha. It balances the level of Vata, Kapha, and Pitta in the body. Vata Dosha is balanced due to its drying property. Kapha is balanced because cranberries are heavy and moisturizing and Pitta is balanced due to the heat cranberries provide.
The red color of the cranberry is associated with the red color of the base chakra. Cranberries, thus, activates the base chakra. It helps in curing the problems related to the urinary tract.
Half a cup of cranberries has 25 calories and is rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, vitamins, and folate. It has Vitamin e, Vitamin k, Vitamin A and Vitamin b1 thiamin, Vitamin B2 riboflavin, Vitamin B3 niacin, and Vitamin B6.
Owing to the high nutritional value and low sugar content, cranberries are highly beneficial for human health.
Below mentioned are the several benefits of cranberries as a superfood and Ayurvedic medicine.
Cranberry is highly nutritional. Even with 90% water, 1 cup of the superfood or 100 grams of cranberry has 46 calories, 0.1 grams of fat, 0.4 grams of protein, 4 grams of sugar, 4.6 grams of fiber, and 12.2 grams of carbs.
Cranberry is a primary source of carbs and fiber. It is also rich in Vitamin C, which is helpful in keeping your skin, muscles, and bones healthy. Vitamin E and Manganese makeit an anti-oxidant, Vitamin K1 that helps in the clotting of blood.
It has been eaten to prevent Urinary Tract Infection. Cranberries haveA-type proanthocyanidins that help in preventing the risk of stomach cancer. It is also good for heart and kidney health.
The juice of the berry is very good for the skin. It is used to cure infections, prevent wrinkles, and even get rid of hair problems like dandruff. Here is more to it, along with the scientific as well as the Ayurvedic view.
Cranberry for Urinary tract Infection (UTI)
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Cranberry is an antioxidant and has anti-bacterial properties. It stops the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract and thus also cures the infection that is caused due to the same. Being anti-inflammatory, it also reduces the swelling in the urinary tract, if any. |
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or Mutrakcchra is caused due to imbalance in Pitta Dosha. Consumption of cranberries balances the Pitta and increases the urine flow. The production of urine cures the infection and swelling in the urinary tract. |
Cranberry for Common Cold
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Being anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial, Cranberry has been proven to be effective on respiratory tract related problems. It eases up the cough. Not only that, but it has also been used to cure asthma and bronchitis. |
Cranberry has been used to cure the Kapha Dosha for ages. Kapha causes cough and problems related to the respiratory tract. It has UshnaVirya, meaning hot potent that helps in controlling cough, asthma, and bronchitis. Cranberry reduces the formation of cough in the throat and hence cures cough and cold. |
Cranberry for Helicobacter Pylori Infection
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Cranberry is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Due to the same, it helps in curing the ulcers that are caused in the stomach due to excessive heat. The anti-inflammatory reduces the swelling and cures the ulcer and, in turn, cures the Helicobacter pylori (H.Pylori) infection. |
Helicobacter pylori (H.Pylori) infection is caused as a result of aggravated Pitta Dosha. Cranberry balances the Pitta Dosha and gives relief to the swelling in the stomach, and cures ulcer. |
Cranberry for Skin Aging
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Cranberry juice provides moisture that cures dry and broken skin. As a result of being moistures, the skin does not form wrinkles and lines. |
Skin wrinkles are caused due to elevated Vata Dosha. Cranberry is used to balance the Vata Dosha in the body. It has Snigdha or oily property that gives moisture to the skin preventing wrinkles. It also promotes healthy and glowing skin. |
Cranberry for Dandruff
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Cranberry is an anti-oxidant. It is also moisturizing. The moisture content prevents dryness and, thus, also dandruff. |
Dandruff is caused due to imbalance in Vata and Pitta Dosha. The imbalance results in dry skin. Cranberry balances Vata and Pitta Dosha. The oily property reduces oiliness and results in removing dandruff. |
Forms of Cranberry in Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, cranberry is used in the form of tablets, capsules, powder, and juice. The use of the same has been for ages and has also cured a lot of health problems. These can be used to make different types of herbal tonic and be used in the prescribed amount.
Cranberry tablets are available in the market. It is sweet and sour in taste. The capsules can be used once or twice a day after meals.
Cranberry capsules are available in the Ayurvedic shops. You can have 1 or 2 capsules twice a day after light meals.
It can be used to make tonics, tea, and juice. Use ¼ to ½ a spoon with water as required. It can be taken twice a day.
Cranberry juice is an important part of Ayurvedic treatment. You can have 2 to 3 teaspoons of the juice along with water twice a day.
Types of Ayurvedic Care with Cranberry
Cranberries might not suit everyone. Some people might be allergic to cranberries. This can result in nausea and vomiting. If you are allergic to cranberries, it is good to stay away from it. By any chance, if you consume cranberry in any form, visit a doctor immediately for an anti-allergy.
Overdosing with cranberry can also be harmful. It has a hot potent that can upset the stomach and also cause diarrhea. You might suffer from severe stomach pain. Overdosing can also be harmful to kidney stones as well.
Experts in Ayurveda and modern medicine recommend visiting a physician or doctor if you have any reaction to the same.
Cranberry is not good for hypersensitive skin. Some people can develop allergic reactions like rashes, swelling, and redness due to applying cranberry on skin. Consumption of cranberry with an allergy can result in nausea and severe vomiting.
Cranberry does not have a side effect for a pregnant woman. It is, in fact, healthy to take fresh cranberries. However, if you mean to take cranberry supplements, it is a good idea to seek your gynecologist's advice beforehand.
When taken in a certain amount, cranberries are safe to be taken while you are breastfeeding. However, it is not recommended to take cranberry tinctures as it contains alcohol. Before taking supplementary forms of cranberries, make sure to seek the advice of your gynecologist.
It is not advised for diabetic patients to consume cranberries. It increases insulin and reduces the blood sugar level of the body. Due to this, cranberries can cause adverse effects on a diabetic patient.
Cranberries can cause side effects when taken along with certain medications. Be sure to ask your doctor for advice before consuming cranberries while on medication.
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