Protect Your Heart with Cranberries
# 326
This Thanksgiving, you can beat heart disease by enjoying one of the season’s favorite traditions: cranberries.
That cranberry sauce your Grandmother used to make is packed with antioxidants. These disease fighters prevent heart attacks and keep your arteries clear.
In today’s Health Alert, you’ll get the latest news on this amazing berry. I’ll show you how to get the most from your favorite holiday berry.
Protect Your Heart Health
Many berries have been recognized as great sources of antioxidants. Along with red meat, berries were a staple of our original diet. Today, we know that the powerful compounds found in berries – especially cranberries – protect against heart disease and cancer.
A study from Canada found that cranberries raise your HDL cholesterol. This “good” cholesterol prevents plaque from building up in your arteries.[1]
If you’re a long time reader of Health Alerts, you’ll know that having a high HDL is your best bet for staying healthy. In fact, HDL is the single most important cholesterol factor in determining your risk of developing heart disease.
Just a few months ago, doctors from a veterinary clinic in Wisconsin made another remarkable discovery about berries. After studying the effects of cranberry juice on pigs, they found that it helped relax blood vessels clogged with high blood cholesterol. Even blood vessels narrowed by atherosclerosis started to function like those in the normal pigs.[2]
That’s good news if you’re already struggling with high cholesterol or the first signs of heart disease. By raising your HDL and helping blood to flow through relaxed blood vessels, cranberries offer protection against heart attack and stroke.
How to Get Your Natural Anti-oxidant Boost
Studies show that Americans tend to eat the same small number of foods everyday, without much variety. For most of us, cranberries may be on the holiday menu only.
Getting enough cranberries to make a difference isn’t hard.
Here are just a few ideas:
- Fresh Cranberries – This is your best option because it is the most natural.
- Cranberry Juice – This is the easiest option. A glass of cranberry juice in the morning with breakfast is a simple way to help your heart. But make the effort and buy quality juice. Stay away from processed juices with loads of high fructose corn syrup.
- Dried Cranberries with Nuts – Snacks can be tasty and good for you at the same time. Try mixing dried cranberries with nuts like walnuts, almonds or Brazil nuts. (Nuts are a great source of protein, minerals and antioxidants.) Adding other dried fruits like raisins will make it more interesting.
Cranberries can also be included in jellies, jams and pies. You can add pieces of dried cranberry to your salad. Cranberries freeze well, so they’re easy to keep around.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
P.S. – Blueberries are another great berry. Also high in anti-oxidants, they are great cancer fighters.
[1] New Cranberry Research to Take to Heart. CNW. Oct 25, 2004.
[2] Preidt R. Cranberries May Help Keep Arteries Clear. American Physiological Society. April 3, 2005.