Whole cranberries also high in Vitamin C – but still sour
Susan La Fountaine
| Special to The News-Messenger
Two Harwich cranberry bogs begin journey of returning to the wild
A $1.9M Harwich Conservation Trust project returns two inactive cranberry bogs in Harwich to natural wetlands, in the headwaters of Herring River.
The cranberry dish has always been a staple at Thanksgiving for many generations, but now its history and medicinal values make it a star with all family gatherings.
There are two major types of cranberries: the American cranberry (vaccinium macrocarpon) and European cranberry (v. oxycoccos), part of the heather (ericaceae) family. We find the American one in our produce departments in the USA. It is native only to North America. However, it is naturalized in many parts of the globe.
This might be because it is twice the size of the European cranberry. The highbush cranberry (viburium opulus) is native to Eurasia and North Africa, and has been adopted in Canada and the northern United States. It is not a true cranberry, but more of a member of the honeysuckle family (caprifoliaceae). It is smaller and a lighter shade of red, but similar to the American cranberry. You can find them on high 12-foot deciduous shrubs called guelder, rose, cramp bark, cranberry tree, snowball tree and pembina/pimbina, of which the latter grows by the water. It grows wild in small streams.
With just 50 calories and only four grams of sugar per cup, cranberries make a great snack. (However, whole fresh cranberries, no matter how healthy, are pretty sour and unpalatable without any added sweetener). Their high vitamin C content – one serving can provide nearly 20% of daily vitamin C – makes them a valuable antioxidant to prevent cell damage and boost collagen production, thus helping with wound healing, joint health and skin integrity. In addition, they promote healthy cells, which reduces the oxidative stress that leads to inflammation.
Cranberries may reduce cancer risks, infections
Some research has linked the specific role of certain cranberry polyphenols to reducing the risk of stomach cancer and bacterial infection. When polyphenols are metabolized, they form new bioactive compounds, which may increase gastrointestinal health and overall immunity.
Cranberries also provide prebiotic fiber, which in turn provides fuel for the body’s probiotics, the beneficial bacteria found in the GI tract and other tissue linings, the layers that serve as the first line of defense for the immune system.
The antioxidant content in cranberries may help reduce the risk of chronic inflammation. Along with many other fruits and vegetables, the antioxidant qualities of cranberries can improve blood flow and reduce the risk of cholesterol buildup in the arteries. Other medical marvels in cranberries are the highbush cranberry, which is a household remedy for cramps and is called crampbark.
The Indigenous Americans discovered the North American variety became a medicine for easing the pain of childbirth as well as menstrual and stomach cramps. True cranberry is perhaps best known medicinally as a treatment of urinary tract infections. Some research differs, but others swear by it.
Research has found it to reduce the ability of E. coli to adhere to the lining of the bladder and urethra, thus reducing the potential for UTIs. A recent study showed that drinking an eight ounce glass of cranberry juice each day could reduce the symptomatic UTIs by nearly 40% in women with recurrent UTIs. Cranberries are also high in antioxidants and contain a potent vasodilator.
So, from the cranberry bog to your kitchen, here is a cranberry nut square recipe.
Linda Woodward from Woodward’s Cranberry Farm shares this delicious recipe for visitors who come to her farm.
Cranberry nut squares
1½ sticks butter1½ cup sugar2 eggs1½ cup flour1 tsp baking powder1/8 tsp salt1 tsp vanilla1 cup chopped walnuts3 cups whole cranberries
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and dry ingredients.
Add nuts and cranberries last, stirring in by hand. Add mixture to a 9×13 oiled pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Master Gardener Plant Sale is May 2
Attention for all the gardeners — mark your calendar for May 2 for the annual Sandusky Ottawa County Master Gardener Plant Sale. The group will be at the Fremont Fairgrounds, 901 Rawson Ave., Fremont. The sale will be open from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. for all your gardening plant needs. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions about plants and gardening.
Susan La Fountaine is a Master Gardener volunteer with the Sandusky and Ottawa county officers of the Ohio State Extension Service.
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