Nature's Life Cranberry Product: |
Cranberries The
cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon)
is a berry bush native to North America. For hundreds of years, Native
Americans ate cranberries, often mixed with other staple foods. Native
Americans also used crushed cranberries as a poultice to treat wounds. Cranberry and Urinary Tract Health Cranberry has been used traditionally for many years in folk medicine for urinary tract health.*1 Now modern research confirms its effectiveness. Consuming cranberry, either as several ounces of unsweetened juice or 800 mg of supplemental cranberry concentrate, has been shown to help maintain a healthy clean urinary tract.* 2,3,4 It supports the body’s immune function through several specific mechanisms which foster a healthy urinary tract.*3 The most obvious of these mechanisms is in its ability to prevent adherance of bacteria to the walls of the urinary tract, thereby inhibiting growth of the bacteria.*2,5,6,7,8 Nature’s Life Cranberry Concentrate 1,200 mg tablets provide as much cranberry fruit solids as 2 ounces of 27% cranberry fruit juice cocktail (but without the added sugars!) Cranberry is also being studied to further understand its effect of preventing plaque from adhering to teeth.* If this research proves valid, gingival and periodontal health could be improved with the consumption of cranberry juice.*9 Cranberry’s
Antioxidant Proanthocyanidins* The
cranberry plant belongs to a family of bush berries (including
blueberries and bilberries) with a reputation as phytonutrient
powerhouses. In addition to a high flavonoid content (such as quercetin),
the Vaccinia are the best known source of the potent phenol compounds
known as proanthocyanidins,
which are plant pigments. Phenols are water-soluble compounds
found in plants that exhibit antioxidant properties.*10 The general rule
of thumb is that plants with the deepest, richest color are the best for
you. Flavonoids and carotenoids lend color to plants, and valuable
nutrition to you!
Standard laboratory tests on cranberry shows it contains active proanthocyanidins and has strong antioxidant properties.*11 In one test of cranberry’s antioxidant action, cranberry extract was mixed with low density lipoproteins (LDL) in the presence of a strong oxidizing agent. The LDL cholesterol was maintained in a normal unoxidized state, demonstrating cranberry’s effectiveness as an antioxidant.*12 Cranberry may promote healthy liver function.* In lab experiments, cranberry was tested for the proanthocyanidins’ ability to stimulate the liver’s phase II enzymes, a natural chemical pathway used by the body to render potentially harmful compounds harmless. The proanthocyanidins in cranberry strongly induced phase II enzymes.*11 Until recently it was not known that foods or herbs induced these powerful natural enzymes. Nature’s Life Cranberry Concentrate Nature’s Life Cranberry Concentrate provides all of the beneficial phytonutrients of whole cranberries. The tablets contain no added sugar or other sweeteners and are fortified with Vitamin C. For urinary tract health, or to help maintain a healthy liver and cholesterol levels, Nature’s Life Cranberry Concentrate is available – backed by solid clinical research as well as years of traditional use. REFERENCES:
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