The cranberry has an interesting history since it is only one of three fruits native to North America. The other two native fruits are concord grapes and blueberries. The cranberry was a staple of Native Americans for a tasty ingredient for all types of meals. In addition, the cranberry was used as a dye for blankets, rugs and even used as an ingredient to treat arrow wounds. The Native Americans taught the early settlers the secrets of the cranberry. The cranberry received it name from the "crane berry" because the plants appearance is a slender and downward hanging blossom resembling the head and neck of the crane. Over time the word was shortened to "cranberry". The commercial cultivation of the cranberry began in 1816 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts by Captain Henry Hall. The captain noticed the cranberries in his bogs grew better when sand blew over the cranberry bogs. After noticing this, the captain began spreading sand on his wet bogs. This technique was quickly copied and was used by a number of budding cranberry farms, thus the cranberry industry was born. How Does the Cranberry Prevent Adhesion in the Body?: According to research cranberries contain proanthocyanidins. These inhibit adhesion of bacteria to the bladder itself. This compound prevents Escherichia coli (E. coli) from sticking to the walls and reproducing, thus greatly reducing the occurrence for an infection. It is the proanthocyanidins that are the secret agents of the cranberry to prevent a urinary tract infection UTI. In 1998, Dr. Amy Howell first reported the anti-adhesion properties of the cranberry. In addition, according to presentations at the 2002 Experimental Biology conference it was reported that a single eight-ounce glass of cranberry juice prevented E. coli from sticking to the walls of the bladder of six volunteers. The proanthocyanidins found in cranberries not only inhibits bacteria from adhering to the bladder, but this anti-sticking benefit can last up to 10 hours after consumption. Here are a few suggestions to get the anti-adhesion properties of the cranberry and flaxseed into your daily diet: o Fresh Cranberries: Dried harvested cranberries are available straight from the farm market or the produce section of your local store during harvest season. o Cranberry Juice Concentrate and Ready-to-Drink juice: Cranberry juice concentrate and ready-to-drink juice are available from your local grocery store year round. o Dried Cranberries: Dried cranberries make a healthy and tasty snack. Add a handful to your morning cereal or grab some for a healthy snack whole taking a road trip. They also make a good alternative to the candy jar next to your computer. One source for dried cranberries is Traverse Bay Farms www.traversebayfarms.com. The company will ship them directly to your home or office. o Whole seeds, oil or ground seeds Add flax to your cereal, salad or yogurt. In addition flax makes an excellent addition to pancakes, muffins and other baked recipes. You can find flax at your local health food store or supermarket. o Cranberry/Flaxseed Capsules: An innovative flaxseed capsule is from Fruit Advantage www.fruitadvantage.com . The company has combined cranberry with flaxseed into an easy-to-swallow capsule and named it Fruit Advantage Women's Formula. It is an excellent way of getting the benefits of cranberry and flax. Add some cranberry and flaxseed to your daily diet and fight urinary tract infections today, naturally. Also download a free copy with of the Super Fruit Handbook at the Super Fruit Handbook website.
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