By Benjamin Goodin
The term “superfood” automatically evokes mental images of svelte
fitness models drinking chartreuse-colored smoothies, clad in their form
fitting athletic wear. As it turns out, I am right to recall the
infomercials that put such images in my head — there is not a dietary or
FDA guideline for what constitutes a “superfood.” The lack of a law or
regulation and the term’s occasional use as a marketing ploy, however,
do little to invalidate a designation that is not bandied about
carelessly; so-called superfoods have earned this epithet if not by law,
but by reputation and science that moves quicker than bureaucracy. In
our present reality of dietary hyper-awareness, many
once-underappreciated foods are seeing their reputations elevated by
their nutritional merit. Foods like the cranberry, the
always-present-but-never-star-of-the-show of the November feast, rightly
deserve a reputation for exceptional health and nutrition.
One cup of cranberries only has about 50 calories, the vast majority of
that being from carbs, which are split almost equally down the middle
between sugars and fiber. You don’t want to overload on these if you are
watching your glucose levels, but then again, almost anyone watching
their intake knows that fruit tends to be sugary by nature. That same
cup of cranberries has 22 percent of your daily Vitamin C requirements,
enough that early colonists to the US found them helpful for staving off
scurvy. They boast about five percent of your requirement of the renal
system boosting, cancer-fighting, heart-healthy Vitamin B-6.
The real reasons to start upping your intake of these ultra-tart little
berries are their versatile and numerous health benefits. Outclassed
only by blueberries, cranberries have the second-highest level of
antioxidants of any fruit; they pack an almost unbelievable 8,983
antioxidant capacity, meaning the same tartness that makes you pucker
also zaps free radicals and boosts your immune system.
Most people are aware that acidic cranberry juice is great for
preventing (but not treating) urinary tract infections, and there is
encouraging evidence and research that shows that the same substances
that prevent urinary tract infections may also be effective in fighting
the propagation of certain types of cancer; they may even inhibit tumor
growth.
Cranberries, especially in their juice form, carry powerful antiseptic
properties while thankfully not tasting like it. Many Native American
peoples in cranberry-rich areas had incorporated the tart berry into
both their diet and their medicine. A few glasses of cranberry juice can
keep you sociable by blasting bad bacteria in your mouth, and they can
keep you ambulatory by fighting off strains of common infections like
the flu and colds. Since the juice is fairly acidic, one might think
that it would be the last thing you would drink for an ulcer, but the
antiseptic properties kill off nasty bacteria that infect and agitate
ulcers. The acid nature of cranberry juice is, however, great for
breaking up kidney stones.
Because cranberries are so famously tart, most cranberry products are
heavily sweetened to make them more palatable. Look for unsweetened
cranberry juice and dried cranberries if possible, their already
moderate sugar content might not be obvious to the tongue, but your
digestive system will know it is there.
When most folks think of cranberries, they think of the festive,
can-shaped holiday jelly that goes mostly ignored in its sad corner of
the
Thanksgiving banquet table. You might have a relative that makes a
gussied-up version of cranberry sauce, but lets face it, it’s still
mostly there when dinner ends, isn’t it? In fact, twenty percent of the
annual crop of the little red berries is eaten (or left on that side of
the table) during Thanksgiving alone. To say that cranberries are
greatly overlooked would be something of an understatement. Maybe it’s
because of the powerful flavor, maybe it is because they make a better
additive than main ingredient. Whatever the case, the native bog berry
doesn’t enjoy as much popularity as it probably should.
Dried cranberries are great as an additive to oatmeal, salads, snack
mixes, and granolas. Their tartness pairs well with baked treats like
scones, soft loaves, turnovers, and well, tarts. As far as main and side
dishes are concerned, cranberries make worthy additions to game meats,
usually fowl, in the form of glazes or stuffings. Adding a handful of
cranberries to naturally starchy dishes like squashes and wild rice will
nicely contrast the otherwise subtle and nutty flavors. Cranberry juice
or muddled berries make for fantastic mixers for adult beverages, most
notably with clear spirits, such as vodka or schnapps. If you’re looking
to mellow the sharpness of the berries or tease out their natural
flavors, citrus in general, but especially orange zest, pairs
fantastically with cranberries in drinks and baked goods.
Perhaps the worst part of this nutritious and versatile little berry is
finding it in the supermarket. Cranberry juice is pretty reliably placed
with other juices, but pouches of dried cranberries apparently defy
definition by grocers, as I’ve found them in the baking aisle, snuck in
next to the fruit cups, filed near the oatmeal, and hanging on those
organic and healthy endcaps that lurk near the produce aisle, but never
consistently in the same place. If you can find them, I am sure you will
be pleased to add them to a few dishes. Even if you don’t eat them by
the handful and only occasionally add them to a dish, you’ll be pleased
to know that the dried variety can last up to two years and still taste
as good as the day they were packaged.