The Berry

What are some of the health benefits of the cranberry?

What are some of the health benefits of the cranberry?

Nutrient Density
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods into your diet, including fruits. In fact, USDA recommends that consumers eat up to 2 cups of fruit daily.

Cranberry products can help consumers meet these daily fruit intake recommendations. Cranberries contain essential vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber and other naturally occurring compounds that may have potential health benefits. For example, each ¼ cup serving of Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries provides ½ cup of fruit and is a good source of fiber. Other products can help as well – for reference, each of the following provides one cup of fruit:

50

A 237 ml glass of Ocean Spray 100% Juice Cranberry equals one cup of fruit and 100% of daily recommended vitamin C

A 237 ml glass of Ocean Spray 100% Juice Cranberry equals one cup of fruit and 100% of daily recommended vitamin C

50

1/2 cup of Craisins Dried Cranberries equals one cup of fruit and is a good source of fiber

1/2 cup of Craisins Dried Cranberries equals one cup of fruit and is a good source of fiber

50

How are Americans Doing?

How are Americans Doing?

How are Americans doing with regards to meeting fruit serving recommendations? Many children (1-8 years old) do meet their recommended intakes for fruit, however, many older children and adults do not. Teen girls (14-18 years old) and adult men and women generally have lower fruit intakes that are below recommendations.

Based on this data, there needs to be a shift towards consuming more fruits. Most Americans would benefit from consuming more nutrient-dense fruits, like cranberries, which would go a long way in helping them meet the daily fruit serving recommendations.

50

Low Sugar Content and Tart Taste

Low Sugar Content and Tart Taste

Cranberry products are usually sweetened for consumer enjoyment because, unlike other berries, cranberries are naturally low in sugar and high in acidity, making them extremely tart. The Dietary Guidelines recognize “[t]here is room for Americans to include limited amounts of added sugars in their eating patterns, including to improve the palatability of some nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables that are naturally tart (e.g., cranberries and rhubarb).” So, while some cranberry products may contain added sugar, they can still be part of a healthy diet.

For example, the total amount of sugar in Craisins® dried cranberries is lower or similar to that of other dried fruit that are inherently higher in sugar content.

50

Considere también el cóctel de jugo de arándano Ocean Spray®. Si bien el cóctel de jugo de arándano Ocean Spray® es más bajo en azúcares y calorías en comparación con otros jugos comúnmente consumidos, algunos pueden percibirlo como "poco saludable" debido al azúcar agregado. Sin embargo, esa perspectiva no toma en consideración la densidad de nutrientes del arándano y el contenido naturalmente bajo de azúcar.

Al ser tan bajo en azúcar natural también les da a los arándanos la ventaja de ser una fruta más versátil. A modo de comparación, los arándanos tienen solo 4 gramos de azúcar por taza. Por otro lado, las uvas tienen 23 gramos, las granadas tienen 24 gramos y las manzanas tienen 13 gramos. Dada la naturaleza única, los arándanos se pueden disfrutar y usar en recetas de varias maneras, lo que permite al consumidor decidir la cantidad de azúcar que desea agregar según su paladar individualizado y sus necesidades dietéticas.

Fiber

Cranberries provide vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary fiber. Craisins® dried cranberries are a delicious wholesome snack that are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and a good source of fiber. Reduced Sugar Craisins® dried cranberries are an excellent source of fiber with 10g of dietary fiber in every ¼ cup serving.

Click here for a list of health references and sources.