Cranberries Rank High in Antioxidants

This Thanksgiving, Americans will gobble up some 75 million pounds of jellied sauce and 18 million pounds of fresh cranberries. The cranberry sauce served as a compliment to turkey may be doing more for consumers’ health than ever expected. In a comprehensive review of 20 commonly eaten fruits, cranberries contained significantly more disease-fighting antioxidant phenols than any other fruit measured.

There are over 4,000 known phenols in plants that help protect plants against oxidative damage from the sun and other environmental insults. In plant-based foods, phenols provide a characteristically bitter flavor. When eaten, phenols may help protect against heart disease, certain cancers and other diseases associated with aging.

Cranberries, pears, grapes, apples and blueberries are among those analyzed with the greatest phenol content, reports Joe Vinson, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Penn. in the November 19, 2001 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Vinson measured the quantity and quality of phenols, the most potent type of antioxidant isolated in foods.

On both a gram-weight and serving size basis, cranberries were the richest source of antioxidant phenols. Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and should be eaten more often, advises Vinson. The tiny, crimson berries are readily eaten over the holidays, but are under- consumed at other times of the year. Although fresh cranberries are not available year-round, the antioxidant content of cranberries is retained during freezing or processing into sauces, dried fruit or juice. Fresh and dried cranberries, followed by sauce have the most antioxidants. Cranberry juice drinks containing at least 27% cranberry juice also supply significant amounts of phenols when consumed regularly.

Government guidelines suggest eating three or more servings of fruit daily but few Americans meet this recommendation. Americans can do a lot to improve their health by increasing the number of servings and variety of fruits eaten daily, adds Vinson.

The study used the Folin-Ciocalteu method to measure the antioxidant quantity. Past studies have used the oxygen radical assay (ORAC) to analyze the antioxidant content of fruits. The results vary slightly between the two methods, but they are significantly correlated with each other, says Vinson.

The Cranberry Institute is a nonprofit organization founded in 1951 to further the success of the U.S. and Canadian cranberry growers through research and education about the cranberry.

Also see: best antioxidant.

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Pamela Wells is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-vitamins.com. Recommending the best vitamins, minerals, herbs and weight loss products for optimum health.