Health Benefits of 12 Fruits Blend

Health Benefits of 12 Fruits Blend in C24/7 Natura-Ceutical and COMPLETE Phyto-Energizer.

Plum
Plums belong to the Prunus genus of plants and are relatives of the peach, nectarine and almond. They are all considered “drupes,” fruits that have a hard stone pit surrounding their seeds. When plums are dried, they are known as prunes.

Health Benefits

The fresh version (plums) and the dried version (prunes) of the plant scientifically known as Prunus domestica have been the subject of repeated health research for their high content of unique phytonutrients called neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid. These substances found in plum and prune are classified as phenols, and their function as antioxidants has been well-documented.

Significant Antioxidant Protection from Phenols

These damage-preventing substances are particularly effective in neutralizing a particularly destructive oxygen radical called superoxide anion radical, and they have also been shown to help prevent oxygen-based damage to fats, such as the fats that comprise a substantial portion of our brain cells or neurons, the cholesterol and triglycerides circulating in our bloodstream, or the fats that make up our cell membranes.

Better Iron Absorption Plus More Antioxidant Protection from Vitamin C

The ability of plum and prune to increase absorption of iron into the body has also been documented in published research. This ability of plum and prune to make iron more available may be related to the vitamin C content of this fruit. Our food ranking system qualified plums as a very good source of vitamin C.

In addition to assisting with absorption of iron, vitamin C is needed in the body to make healthy tissue and is also needed for a strong immune system. Getting a little extra vitamin C around cold and flu season is a good idea, and may also be helpful for people who suffer from recurrent ear infections. Vitamin C also helps to protect cholesterol from becoming oxidized by free radicals. Since oxidized cholesterol is the kind that builds up in the arteries and causes damage to blood vessels, some extra vitamin C can be helpful for people who suffer from atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. In addition, vitamin C can help neutralize free radicals that could otherwise contribute to the development or progression of conditions like asthma, colon cancer, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, so vitamin C may be able to help those who are at risk or suffering from these conditions. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C’s health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants’ consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but plums can help you reach this goal. Add diced plums to your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or green salads. For a beautiful and delicious brown rice, add chopped plums and pistachios. Need to grab a snack? What could be better than a cool, sweet, juicy plum on a summer’s day?

Our food ranking system also qualified plums as a good source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B2, dietary fiber and potassium.

Plums and Oxalates

Plums are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating plums. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we’ve seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits-including absorption of calcium-from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content. For more on this subject, please see “Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?”

Nutritional Profile

Plums are a very good source of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B2 and potassium. In addition, plums are a good source of dietary fiber.

Cranberry
A cousin of the blueberry, this very tart, bright red berry can still be found growing wild as a shrub, but when cultivated, is grown on low trailing vines in great sandy bogs. The American cranberry, the variety most cultivated in the northern United States and southern Canada, produces a larger berry than the wild cranberry or the European variety.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Health Benefits

Protection against Urinary Tract Infection

Cranberries have been valued for their ability to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections for hundreds of years. In 1994, a placebo-controlled study of 153 elderly women was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that gave scientific credibility to claims of cranberries effectiveness in preventing urinary tract infection. In this study, the women given cranberry juice had less than half the number of urinary infections as the control group (only 42% as many, to be precise), who received a placebo imitation “cranberry” drink. The daily dose of cranberry juice in this initial study was just 300 milliliters (about one and one-quarter cups). Since then, a number of other studies have also confirmed anecdotal tales of cranberry’s ability to both treat and prevent urinary tract infections. In most of these later studies, subjects drank about 16 ounces (2 cups) of cranberry juice daily.

How does cranberry juice help prevent urinary tract infections? It acidifies the urine, contains an antibacterial agent called hippuric acid, and also contains other compounds that reduce the ability of E. coli bacteria to adhere to the walls of the urinary tract. Before an infection can start, a pathogen must first latch on to and then penetrate the mucosal surface of the urinary tract walls, but cranberries prevent such adherence, so the E. coli is washed away in the urine and voided. Since E. coli is pathogen responsible for 80-90% of urinary tract infections, the protection afforded by cranberries is quite significant.

Studies attempting to explain cranberries’ protective effects on urinary tract health were presented at the Experimental Biology Conference held in 2002. Amy Howell, research scientist at the Marucci Center for Blueberry Cranberry Research at Rutgers University and Jess Reed, professor of nutrition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, compared the proanthycyanins (active compounds) in cranberries to those found in grapes, apples, green tea and chocolate. They discovered that “the cranberry’s proanthocyanidins are structurally different than the proanthocyanidins found in the other plant foods tested, which may explain why cranberry has unique bacterial anti-adhesion activity and helps to maintain urinary tract health.”

8-Ounces Better than 4 to Prevent Bladder Infections

Cranberry’s protective effects against bladder infections may be dose responsive, with 8-ounces of cranberry juice being twice as effective as 4-ounces, suggests preliminary research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America by Kalpana Gupta from the University of Washington.

Gupta reported the details of a very small trial in which three volunteers were given 27% cranberry juice cocktail. Urine samples, collected before and 4-6 hours after drinking the cranberry juice, were combined with human bladder cells and incubated with Escherichia coli (the most common cause of bladder infections). The number of bacteria able to adhere to the bladder cells (the first step a pathogen must achieve to be able to cause infection) was significantly reduced in the urine of all women who drank the cranberry juice cocktail, and the effect was doubled when the women drank eight ounces of cranberry rather than four ounces.

Cranberry’s protective effect is thought to be due to a specific type of tannin, found only in cranberries and blueberries, which interferes with projections on the bacterium, preventing it from sticking to the walls of the bladder and causing infection. However, once the bacteria have established a hold, it’s best to seek medical advice. No evidence shows cranberry juice is able to cure an established bladder infection, which can lead to a more serious kidney infection. The researchers plan further studies in a larger group of women to investigate the optimal amount and frequency of cranberry juice consumption.

Cranberry Juice Shows Promise as Alternative to Antibiotics

New research has greatly increased our understanding of how cranberry juice prevents urinary tract and kidney infections.

A series of studies led by Terri Camesano from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the latest of which were presented September 19, 2006 at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, show that compounds in cranberry juice have the capacity to actually change E. coli bacteria-even strains that have become resistant to conventional treatment-in ways that render them unable to initiate an infection. E. coli, a class of microorganisms responsible for a wide variety of human illnesses ranging from urinary tract and kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay, are changed in several ways by a group of tannins (called proanthocyanidins) found primarily in cranberries. Each one of these changes can prevent the bacteria from adhering to cells in the body, a necessary first step in any infection.

Cranberry proanthocyanidins:

* Alter E. coli’s cell membranes
* Prevent the bacteria from making contact with cells or attaching to them even if they somehow manage to get close enough
* Change the shape of E.coli from rods to spheres
* Disrupt bacterial communication

Alter E. coli Cell Membranes

In research published February 2006 in Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Camesano showed that exposure to cranberry juice causes tiny tendrils (known as fimbriae) on the surface of the type of E. coli bacteria responsible for the most serious types of urinary tract infections to become compressed. Since its fimbriae are what allow the bacteria to bind tightly to the lining of the urinary tract, compressing them greatly reduces E. coli’s ability to remain in place long enough to launch an infection.

Prevent E. coli from Making Contact

In research published in August 2006 in Colloids and Surfaces, B. Biointerfaces Camesano found that chemical changes caused by cranberry juice also create an energy barrier that prevents the bacteria from getting close enough to the urinary tract lining to try to adhere in the first place.

Change E. coli’s Shape and Activity

Camesano’s latest work reveals that cranberry juice can transform E. coli in even more radical ways, which have never before been observed. When the bacteria were grown in solutions containing various concentrations of either cranberry juice or cranberry tannins, E. coli, which is normally a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, became spherical and started behaving like gram-positive bacteria. Since gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria differ primarily in the structure of their cell membranes, these results suggest that cranberry tannins actually alter E. coli’s membrane.

The research Camesano presented at the ACS meeting also included yet another, more preliminary finding: when exposed to cranberry juice, E. coli appear to lose their ability to secrete indole, a molecule involved in a form of bacterial communication called quorum sensing, which is used by E. coli to determine when sufficient bacteria are present at a location to stage a successful infection attack.

“We are beginning to get a picture of cranberry juice and, in particular, the tannins found in cranberries, as potentially potent antibacterial agents,” Camesano said. “These results are surprising and intriguing, particularly given the increasing concern about the growing resistance of certain disease-causing bacteria to antibiotics.” For most of these effects, the higher the concentration of either cranberry juice or tannins, the greater their impact on E. coli, suggesting that whole cranberry products and juice that has not been highly diluted may have the greatest health effects.

Cranberries’ Potent Anti-Viral Activity

Long recognized as an effective treatment for urinary tract infections, cranberry juice’s benefits have now been shown to also extend to protection against viruses.

When researchers exposed three diverse viral species (the bacteriophages T2 and T4 of E. coli C and B, respectively, and the simian enteric virus, rotavirus SA-11) to commercially available cranberry juice (Ocean Spray), all were completely neutralized.

Cranberry juice’s anti-viral action was rapid, dose-dependent (a 20% juice suspension was needed to stop simian rotovirus from binding to the surface of cells) and unaffected by temperature (T4 was completely inactivated at four or 23 degrees Celsius, which is unusual since lower temperature is typically associated with lesser viral “kill”). While not nearly as potent as cranberry juice, orange and grapefruit juices reduced the viral infectivity of T2 and T4 to 25-35% of the control, respectively. Phytomedicine. 2007 Jan;14(1):23-30.

Cranberries Combat Herpes Virus

Laboratory studies published in the October 2004 issue of the Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture have shown that a phytonutrient isolated from cranberries is effective against the herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes. In a manner similar to the way the tannins in cranberries protect against bladder infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, cranberries’ antiviral compound, proanthocyanidin A-1, inhibits the attachment and penetration of the herpes virus.While this is promising, we look forward to studies involving human subject to confirm these findings.

A Pro-biotic Berry for Gastrointestinal and Oral Health?

Not only kidney infections, but the majority of infectious diseases are initiated by the adhesion of pathogenic organisms to the tissues of the host. Cranberries ability to block this adhesion has been demonstrated not only against E. coli, the bacterium most commonly responsible for urinary tract infection, but also for a number of other common pathogens.

Delegates at the 2002 American Chemical Society meeting and Experimental Biology Conference were also informed about cranberries’ ability to act as a natural probiotic, supporting the health-promoting bacteria that grow in the human gastro-intestinal tract while killing off the bacteria that promote infections and foodborne illnesses.

One study presented by Leslie Plhak from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that whole frozen cranberries contained compounds able to inhibit the growth of common foodborne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli 0157:H7, but enhanced the growth of the beneficial bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum by as much as 25 times.

Another test tube study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition indicated that a constituent in cranberry juice prevents the bacterium responsible for most gastric ulcers, Helicobacter pylori, from adhering to gastric epithelial cells (the cells that form the lining of the stomach).

Also published in this same journal was a study noting that compounds isolated from cranberry juice actually dissolved the aggregates formed by many oral bacteria and was effective in decreasing the salivary level of Streptococus mutans, the major cause of tooth decay. Among the other fruits tested, none had a similar effect except blueberries, whose protective action was much weaker that that of cranberries.

Further lab studies, published in Caries Research support cranberries’ ability to inhibit prevent cavities.

Dr Hyun Hoo, an oral biologist at the University of Rochester Medial Center in New York, studied the effects of cranberry juice on the processes involved in the development of biofilms by S. mutans.

Results showed that the cranberry juice interfered with S. mutans’ ability to stick to the surface of the “tooth,” thus preventing the development of cavities in a way similar to cranberry’s action in preventing urinary tract infections, in which cranberry juice inhibits the adhesion of pathogens in the urinary tract. One warning here: don’t consume large quantities of sugar-laden cranberry juice or cranberry sauce to protect your teeth; the sugar in these products is likely to cause not prevent decay. Choose unsweetened organic cranberry juice.

Boosts Effectiveness of Drugs against H. Pylori
Drinking cranberry juice significantly boosts eradication of Helicobacter pylori (the bacterium responsible for ulcers and many digestive complaints) in women receiving triple therapy with the antibiotics omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (OAC), the gold standard drug treatment for this hard-to-eliminate pathogen. 889 patients on OAC were randomized to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1 received OAC + 250 mL (8.5 ounces) of cranberry juice for 1 week, followed by cranberry juice alone for 2 more weeks. Group 2 followed the same regimen but received a placebo-cranberry beverage, and Group 3 only took OAC. While the addition of cranberry juice did not appear to improve H. pylori eradication in men, among the women, cranberry juice raised the rate of H. pylori elimination from 82.5% to 95.2%. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jun;51(6):746-51.

Prevention of Kidney Stone Formation

Cranberries contain quinic acid, an acidic compound that is unusual in that it is not broken down in the body but is excreted unchanged in the urine. The presence of quinic acid causes the urine to become just slightly acidic-a level of acidity that is, however, sufficient to prevent calcium and phosphate ions from joining to form insoluble stones. In patients who have had recurrent kidney stones, cranberry juice has been shown to reduce the amount of ionized calcium in their urine by more than 50%-a highly protective effect since in the U.S., 75-85% of kidney stones are composed of calcium salts.

In one recent study evaluating the effect of cranberry juice on kidney stone formation, study subjects were divided into two groups, one of which drank 2 cups of cranberry juice diluted with 6 cups water each day for 2 weeks, while the other group drank tap water for the same period. After a 2 week period in which neither group drank any cranberry juice, the groups were switched, so that those who had drunk cranberry juice drank only tap water, while those who had drunk tap water consumed 2 cups cranberry juice diluted with 6 cups tap water daily for an additional 2 weeks. In both groups, drinking cranberry juice was found to significantly and uniquely alter three key urinary risk factors for the better: oxalate and phosphate excretion decreased; citrate excretion increased; and the relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate was significantly lower.

In another trial that evaluated the influence of cranberry, plum and blackcurrant juice on urinary stone risk factors, cranberry juice decreased the urinary pH (made the urine more acidic), and increased the excretion of oxalic acid and the relative supersaturation for uric acid. The researchers concluded that cranberry juice could be useful in the treatment of brushite (calcium) and struvite (non-calcium) stones as well as urinary tract infection.

Beneficial Actions on Cholesterol

After test tube research conducted at the University of Scranton demonstrated that cranberries’ antioxidants could protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, and animal research at three other universities provided evidence that cranberries can decrease levels of total cholesterol and LDL (low density or “bad” cholesterol), a human study has also corroborated these positive results.

The three month study funded by the U.S. Cranberry Institute was presented at the 225th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. Researchers measured cholesterol levels in 19 subjects with high cholesterol after a fasting, baseline blood sampling, followed by monthly samplings. Ten of the subjects were given cranberry juice with artificial sweetener, while the other subjects drank cranberry juice with no added sugars. Like typical supermarket cranberry juices, the drinks all contained approximately 27% pure cranberry juice by volume. Each subject drank one 8-ounce glass of juice a day for the first month, then two glasses a day for the next month, and finally, three glasses a day during the third month of the study. Subjects were not monitored with respect to exercise, diet and alcohol consumption.

Although no changes occurred in their overall cholesterol levels, study subjects’ HDL (good) cholesterol increased by an average of 10% after drinking three glasses of cranberry juice per day-an increase that, based on known epidemiological data on heart disease, corresponds to approximately a 40% reduction in heart disease risk.

Similarly, subjects’ plasma antioxidant capacity, a measure of the total amount of antioxidants available in the body, was significantly increased-by as much as 121% after two or three servings of juice per day. Increased antioxidant levels are also associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

While the mechanism by which cranberry juice changes cholesterol levels has not been clearly established, the researchers have theorized that the effect is due to the fruit’s high levels of polyphenols, a type of potent antioxidant.

New research appears to be confirming this theory. Pterostilbene (pronounced TARE-oh-STILL-bean), a powerful antioxidant compound found in cranberries, which is already known to fight cancer, may also help lower cholesterol.

In an experimental study, scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service compared the cholesterol-lowering effects of pterostilbene to those of ciprofibrate, a lipid-lowering drug, and resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes with a chemical structure similar to pterostilbene that has been shown to help fight cancer and heart disease.

They based their comparison on each compound’s ability to activate PPAR-alpha (short for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha). The PPARs are a family of receptors on cell membranes that are involved in the absorption of compounds into cells for use in energy production. PPAR-alpha is crucial for the metabolism of lipids, including cholesterol.

Pterostilbene was as effective as ciprofibrate and outperformed resveratrol in activating PPAR-alpha. The take away message: turn up your cholesterol burning machinery by eating more cranberries. (Grapes and blueberries are also good sources of pterostilbene.)

Increases Cardio-Protective HDL Cholesterol

Having low blood levels of “good” HDL cholesterol has long been recognized as a factor that increases risk of cardiovascular disease, but something as simple as enjoying a daily 8-ounce glass of low-calorie cranberry juice may significantly increase blood levels of cardioprotective HDL cholesterol, suggests a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Ruel G., Omperleau S, et al.)

In this trial, 30 abdominally obese men, averaging 51 years in age, drank increasing amounts (4 ounces, 8 ounces and 12 ounces daily) of low-calorie cranberry juice during three successive 4-week periods.

While no changes in the men’s HDL were noted after drinking 4 ounces of cranberry juice each day, a large increase (+8.6%) in circulating levels of HDL was noted after the men drank 8-ounces of cranberry juice daily, an effect that leveled out (+8.1%) during the final 12-ounce phase of the study.

After drinking 8 ounces of cranberry juice daily, the men’s triglyceride levels also dropped, while their levels of total and LDL cholesterol remained unchanged, which means that overall, their overall lipid profile significantly improved.

The researchers chose abdominally obese men because, in other research (Farnier M, Garnier P, et al., Int J Clin Pract), abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and being male, have been strongly linked to low HDL and cardiovascular disease.

Abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol are also key symptoms of the metabolic syndrome, a condition which greatly increases one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And type 2 diabetes is well known to be a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death not only in the U.S., but throughout the developed world. So, the subjects in this study were men whose health was greatly at risk. Isn’t it wonderful that something as simple, affordable and delicious as a daily 8-ounce glass of cranberry juice offers such potential beneficial impact on our health? Instead of buying the “low-calorie” cranberry juice, which is usually sweetened with aspartame or comparable chemicals, look for unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate. It will be less expensive and healthier to simply add a little concentrate to a glass of water, then sweeten to taste with honey or stevia.

Cranberry Juice Greatly Lessens Oxidation of LDL Cholesterol in Men
In men, daily consumption of low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail significantly lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL and concentrations of two molecules involved in LDL’s adherence to blood vessel walls (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Thirty men (mean age 51) drank increasing daily doses of cranberry juice cocktail (4.4 ounces, 8.8 ounces and 17.6 ounces) over three successive 4 week periods. Blood levels of oxidized LDL, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 all dropped significantly during the study. Br J Nutr. 2007 Aug 29:1-8.

Improved Blood Vessel Function, Protecting Even Individuals with Atherosclerosis against Heart Attacks

A daily dose of cranberry powder restores blood vessel health in laboratory animals with atherosclerosis, shows research presented at the 2005 annual congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences.

Earlier small studies have already demonstrated that people who drink cranberry juice have higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. The new study examined blood vessel health in animals specially bred to develop high cholesterol, followed by atherosclerosis, by eight months of age.

Study results suggest that cranberries not only reduce the risk of developing heart disease by improving HDL cholesterol levels, but also improve blood vessel function, so can help individuals who already have atherosclerosis.

“Since the abnormal functioning of blood vessels is an important component of heart disease, finding ways to improve vascular function in patients with high cholesterol and atherosclerosis is critical to helping protect these patients from consequences such as heart attack or stroke,” said lead researcher Kris Kruse-Elliott from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Researchers think cranberries’ polyphenols are responsible for their cardiovascular benefits. While humans would need to eat four to eight servings of cranberry powder, or 10-20 servings of cranberry juice, in order to achieve the levels of polyphenols given the animals in the study, co-author Jess Reed said: “The point to be emphasized is that total polyphenol intake is very low in western diets and a diet rich in polyphenols would in fact give a daily intake that is equivalent to the levels in our cranberry feeding experiments.”

Increasing the polyphenol content of your diet is easy-just make the World’s Healthiest Foods the foundation of your meals! In addition to making the most of fresh cranberries around Thanksgiving when they’re in season (see our recipe suggestions below), enjoy a glass of cranberry juice with breakfast or try a cranberry spritzer for a refreshing pick-me-up any time of day.

Antioxidant Protection

Studies conducted at the University of Scranton, PA, and funded by the Cranberry Institute, a trade association for cranberry growers in the US and Canada, have revealed cranberries to be phytochemical powerhouses packed with five times the antioxidant content of broccoli. When compared to 19 other common fruits, cranberries were found to contain the highest level of antioxidant phenols.

Other studies presented at the 223rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society also showed that cranberries have among the highest levels of phenols of commonly consumed fruits. One study presented at the meetings by biochemist Yuegang Zuo from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth looked at 20 different fruit juices and found that cranberry juice had the most phenols and the highest radical scavenging capacity of all of them.

Another study to compare levels of phenolic compounds in common fruits, which was conducted at Cornell University and published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry also confirmed that cranberries had the highest phenolic content of the fruits studied. Cranberries were followed in descending order by apple, red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear and grapefruit.

Cranberry Juice Ranked Among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity

Not all fruit juices are the same. They differ markedly in the variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, according to Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, who, with colleagues at the University of Glasgow, evaluated 13 commercially available popular juices.

Concord grapes came out on top with the highest and broadest range of polyphenols and the highest overall antioxidant capacity. (The main components in purple grape juice were flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and hydroxycinnamates, together accounting for 93% of the total phenolic content.)

Other top scorers were cloudy apple juice, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.

Results for the red grape juice were said to be equal to those for a Beaujolais red wine. Interestingly, however, white grape juice, mainly containing hydroxycinnamates, had the lowest total phenolic content.

The products analyzed were: Spray Classic Cranberry; Welch’s Purple Grape; Tesco Pure Pressed Red Grape; Pomegreat Pomegranate; Tesco Pure Apple (clear); Copella Apple (cloudy); Tesco Pure Grapefruit; Tesco Value Pure Orange (concentrate); Tropicana Pure Premium Smooth Orange (squeezed); Tropicana Pure Premium Tropical Fruit; Tesco Pure Pressed White Grape; Tesco Pure Pineapple; Del Monte Premium Tomato.

Dr. Crozier’s findings come shortly after those of the Kame project, which indicated that long-term fruit juice consumption can provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease (Dai et al., Am J Med), and suggest that, since each fruit juice contains its own array of protective phenols, drinking a variety may offer the best protection. Practical Tip: “The message is to mix these juices during the week. That way you will get all the compounds with anti-oxidant activity. If you drink only one juice you risk missing out on the compounds in the others,” explained Crozier.

Cancer Prevention

Also at the 2002 national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Catherine Neto, assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, presented research on several newly discovered compounds in cranberries that were toxic to a variety of cancer tumor cell lines, including lung, cervical, prostate, breast and leukemia cancer cells. The Cornell study mentioned above that confirmed cranberries as having the highest levels of antioxidants among common fruits also found that cranberries had the strongest ability to inhibit the proliferation of human liver cancer cells.

The compounds found in cranberries that help prevent urinary tract infections may also help prevent cancer, suggests additional research conducted at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth by Catherine Neto and reported in the online edition of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Neto’s team isolated active cranberry compounds, called proanthocyanidins, and then tested them on several tumor cell lines. Cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibited the growth of all the cancers-human lung, colon and leukemia cells-in culture, without affecting healthy cells.

Unlike most fruit, cranberries contain proanthocyanidins with A-type linkages between units, a structural feature identified in cranberry proanthocyanidins with antibacterial adhesion properties and those with LDL-protective properties, explained lead researcher, Catherine Neto.

Cranberries’ proanthocyanidins unique characteristics may translate into a superior ability to prevent cancer. This study showed significant inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, not previously shown with other proanthocyanidins, as well as the blocking of tumor growth.

The protective activity occurred at no less than 100ug/mL concentration. “It’s hard to say whether you would get these levels distributed to different tissues to the extent where you would have activity in vivo, but eating cranberries could be helpful,” said Neto.

“There are so many compounds in cranberries capable of having some anti-cancer mechanism that when taken together there is potential for benefit,” she added.

For cancer prevention, enjoy whole cranberries, not just cranberry juice. Cranberry presscake (the material remaining after squeezing juice from the berries), when fed to laboratory animals bearing human breast cancer cells, has previously been shown to decrease the growth and metastasis of tumors. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests compounds in whole cranberries also inhibit prostate, skin, lung and brain cancer cells as well.

Androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells were inhibited the most (just 10 mg of a warm water extract of cranberry presscake inhibited their growth by 50%). With androgen-independent prostate cancer cells and estrogen-independent breast cancer cells, a larger amount was needed but produced the same beneficial effect (250 mg of cranberry presscake extract inhibited their growth by 50%).

Researchers concluded that the active compounds in whole cranberry prevent cancer by blocking cell cycle progression and inducing cells to undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Cranberry’s Phytonutrients Help Shut Down Human Breast Cancer Cells

Enjoying a handful of dried cranberries in your spinach salad or a daily glass of cranberry juice with a meal may be a delicious way to help protect yourself against breast cancer. In laboratory studies published in Cancer Letters, cranberry phytonutrients greatly inhibited proliferation of human breast cancer cells, both by causing the cancer cells to commit suicide and by shutting down their ability to multiply by stopping their process of cellular replication before its completion.

After just 4 hours’ exposure to cranberry phytonutrient extracts at the low dose of just 50 milligrams per milliliter, the ratio of breast cancer cells committing suicide to total cells increased 25% compared to control cells not exposed to cranberry phytonutrients. Cranberry phytonutrient extracts at doses from 10 to 50 milligrams per milliliter were also highly effective in stopping breast cancer cells from multiplying. After 24 hours, cancer cell replication was 6 times higher in the control breast cancer cells than in those exposed to cranberry extracts.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of cranberries, tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you’ve reached this goal.

Cranberries and Oxalates

Cranberries are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating cranberries. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we’ve seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits – including absorption of calcium – from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content. For more on this subject, please see “Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?”

Cranberries and Warfarin

Since 1999, the United Kingdom’s Committee on the Safety of Medicines has had 5 reports of cases (one fatal) that indicate that cranberry juice (from Vaccinium macrocarpon) potentiates the effect of warfarin. Some patients exhibited a marked increase in their INR (international normalised ratios) values after they began to drink cranberry juice. INRs provide a measure of blood clotting capacity, and high values are associated with serious bleeding. In the one fatal case, six weeks after a man started drinking cranberry juice, his INR increased sharply, and he subsequently died from gastrointestinal and pericardial haemorrhages.

The Committee on the Safety of Medicines has hypothesized that flavonoid antioxidants in cranberry juice inhibit the activity of one of the cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver that is primarily responsible for detoxifying warfarin, the isoform called CYP2C9. Until this possible interaction between warfarin and cranberry juice has been investigated further, the individuals taking warfarin are advised to avoid cranberry juice.

At least 12 reports of suspected interactions involving warfarin and cranberry juice have now been made to the Committee on the Safety of Medicines in Great Britain. In Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued a recommendation that patients using warfarin should be advised to avoid cranberry juice.

Nutritional Profile

Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, a very good source of dietary fiber, and a good source of manganese and vitamin K.

Blueberry
Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub that belong to the heath family, which includes the cranberry and bilberry as well as the azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small pea to a marble. They are deep in color, ranging from blue to maroon to purple-black, and feature a white-gray waxy “bloom” that covers the surface serving as a protective coat. The skin surrounds a semi-transparent flesh that encases tiny seeds.

Health Benefits

Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor, yet very low in calories. Recently, researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability. Blueberries came out on top, rating highest in their capacity to destroy free radicals.

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system. Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues). They work their protective magic by preventing free-radical damage, inhibiting enzymes from cleaving the collagen matrix, and directly cross-linking with collagen fibers to form a more stable collagen matrix.

Cardioprotective Action
While wine, particularly red wine, is touted as cardioprotective since it is a good source of antioxidant anthocyanins, a recent study found that blueberries deliver 38% more of these free radical fighters. In this study, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers found that a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) of white wine contained .47 mmol of free radical absorbing antioxidants, red wine provided 2.04 mmol, and a wine made from highbush blueberries delivered 2.42 mmol of these protective plant compounds.

A Visionary Fruit

Extracts of bilberry (a cousin of blueberry) have been shown in numerous studies to improve nighttime visual acuity and promote quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare. This research was conducted to evaluate claims of bilberry’s beneficial effects on night vision made by British Air Force pilots during World War II who regularly consumed bilberry preserves before their night missions.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of blueberries, tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you’ve reached this goal.

A Better Brain with Blueberries

In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.

Promotion of Gastrointestinal Health

In addition to their powerful anthocyanins, blueberries contain another antioxidant compound called ellagic acid, which blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. In a study of over 1,200 elderly people, those who ate the most strawberries (another berry that contains ellagic acid) were three times less likely to develop cancer than those who ate few or no strawberries. In addition to containing ellagic acid, blueberries are high in the soluble fiber pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and to prevent bile acid from being transformed into a potentially cancer-causing form.

Protection against Colon Cancer

Laboratory studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that phenolic compounds in blueberries can inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Extracts were made of the blueberry phenols, which were freeze-dried and further separated into phenolic acids, tannins, flavonols, and anthocyanins. Then the dried extracts and fractions were added to cell cultures containing two colon cancer cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2.

In concentrations normally found in laboratory animal plasma after eating blueberries, anthyocyanin fractions increased DNA fragmentation (a sign that apoptosis or cell death had been triggered) by 2-7 times. Flavonol and tannin fractions cut cell proliferation in half at concentrations of 70-100 and 50-100 microg/mL, while the phenolic fraction was also effective, but less potent, reducing proliferation by half at concentrations of 1000 microg/mL. Bottomline: eating blueberries may reduce colon cancer risk.

Protection against Ovarian Cancer

Among their rich supply of phytonutrients, blueberries include a flavonoid called kaempferol. Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to blueberries, foods richest in kaempferol include tea (nonherbal), onions, curly kale, leeks, spinach, and broccoli.

A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus). Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 30; Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):727-47.

Healthier Elimination

Blueberries can help relieve both diarrhea and constipation. In addition to soluble and insoluble fiber, blueberries also contain tannins, which act as astringents in the digestive system to reduce inflammation. Blueberries also promote urinary tract health. Blueberries contain the same compounds found in cranberries that help prevent or eliminate urinary tract infections. In order for bacteria to infect, they must first adhere to the mucosal lining of the urethra and bladder. Components found in cranberry and blueberry juice reduce the ability of E. coli, the bacteria that is the most common cause of urinary tract infections, to adhere.

Blueberries and Oxalates

Blueberries are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating blueberries. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we’ve seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits -including absorption of calcium-from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content. For more on this subject, please see “Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?”

Nutritional Profile

Blueberries are phytonutrient superstars. These fruits contain significant amounts of anthocyanadins, antioxidant compounds that give blue, purple and red colors to fruits and vegetables. In addition, blueberries also contain ellagic acid, another phytochemical that has been shown to prevent cell damage.

Blueberries are a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, and both soluble and insoluble fiber like pectin. Blueberries are also a good source of vitamin E.