This Holiday Season, Add Eat Cranberries To Your To Do List

Cranberries make it easier to maintain good health during this hectic time of year

Lakeville-Middleboro, MA (December 13, 2005) – Sure cranberries taste great alongside turkey, stuffing and other holiday favorites, but they’re also great for packing a health punch during this festive time of year. While Americans consume 5,062,500 gallons of jellied cranberry sauce every holiday season, many don’t realize that they are benefiting their health at the same time by eating this powerful little berry. During the hectic holiday season, as well as year-round, the cranberry is the perfect solution for staying healthy with a variety of products that add a delicious, robust and refreshing taste to meals.

A substantial body of research shows that the unique anti-adhesion properties of the cranberry’s proanthocyanidins, or PACs, can prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract, stomach, and mouth – helping to ward off infection. However, bacterial protection may not be the only health benefit jam-packed into the tiny cranberry. A preliminary laboratory study found that components in cranberries can prevent certain type A and type B flu viruses from attaching to host cells and causing subsequent infection, setting the stage for more research in that area. 

“For over 60 years, Ocean Spray has been contributing to the body of research that shows the unique role that the cranberry plays in helping people live healthier lives,” said Ken Romanzi, Domestic Chief Operating Officer at Ocean Spray.  “We are proud that we can provide a wide range of cranberry products that make it convenient for families to focus on their health during the holidays.”

In addition to fighting bacteria, cranberry PACs also function as antioxidants – and with far more PACs per gram than most other fruit, cranberries bolster the body’s defenses against free radical damage that can contribute to many chronic diseases including heart disease. 

During the months of November through January, most Americans are concentrating on shopping for gifts, preparing holiday meals or traveling to visit friends and family.  Since good health habits often take a back seat to the stress of the holidays, try the following tips to remain healthy and happy throughout the upcoming months:

Build up cold immunity – The vitamin C in Ocean Spray cranberry juices and juice drinks provide a nutritional immunity boost. Preliminary laboratory research also suggests that components found in cranberries may play a role in preventing certain flu viruses from attaching to host cells preventing subsequent flu infections.

Keep holiday weight gain at bay – Toast the holiday season with your favorite Light Cranberry Juice mocktail. Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail serves up the antioxidant and anti-adhesion health benefits of cranberry, with 2/3 fewer calories and carbs than most juices and alcoholic drinks.

Stay heart healthy – A pilot clinical study found that fall’s favorite berry, the cranberry, boosts good cholesterol and shields the heart with its unique antioxidant muscle.  Packing a knockout one-two punch, with both “anti-stick” and “antioxidant” bang, light cranberry juice cocktail may provide heart healthy benefits.

Keep up with 5-A-Day – Eating Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries or drinking Ocean Spray Premium 100% Cranberry Juice is a quick and delicious way to get one healthy serving of fruit each day. A growing body of research has shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.

Given the variety of ways to consume cranberries, it’s easy to receive the fruit’s health benefits. An eight-ounce glass of cranberry juice cocktail contains just as many bacteria-fighting PACs as:  1/4 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/3 cup of sweetened dried cranberries, or 1/3 cup of cranberry sauce. In addition, while cranberry packs a nutritious punch, drinking one 8-ounce serving of any of the Premium 100% Juices, or eating 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries counts as one serving of fruit recommended every day for good health. 

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 100 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 75 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America’s leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2005 gross sales of about $1.4 billion.