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| Photo courtesy of North Carolina State University Extension |
I heard a listing recently of people’s most liked
Thanksgiving foods. The obvious choices
floated to the top, with the tart cranberry getting very little love. Cranberries may have ranked pretty low on the
list but it made me think about the history and benefits of cranberries.
According to Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association,
cranberries have history dating back to being a staple in the diet of Native
Americans. They are one of the three
fruits commercially grown and can trace its origin back to North America. The other two are Concord grapes and
blueberries. Cranberries were grown by
Native Americans, using them for food, fabric dye and medicinal uses. The name of these tart little berries is derived
from the word “craneberry” as the cranberry flowers resembles the head and
bills of Sandhill cranes.
I’m sure you’ve heard of some of the health benefits
of cranberries and there may be some people that take cranberry pills as a
supplement each day. According to
Michigan State University Extension, cranberries are considered a superfood
because of their high nutrient content, antioxidant properties, and being a
good source of vitamin C. Health
benefits of cranberries include improved immune function, lower risk of urinary
tract infections, decreased blood pressure, and prevention of certain types of
cancer.
If you just can’t get past the tartness of straight
cranberries, or cranberry sauce, there are other avenues to explore. There are salsas, sauces, breads and trail
mixes where cranberries can all be incorporated. Alternatively, as many of us may be thinking
about decorating for Christmas in the next couple of weeks, there are various
decorating themes open to using cranberries, including popcorn and cranberry
strings on Christmas trees. Cranberries
really do seem to be a versatile food!
Just make sure to keep the cranberry decorations out of reach of any
indoor pets.
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