How Are Cranberries Ranked on the Phytochemical Scale?
The more colored a vegetable or fruit is the more phytochemicals it contains.
Those plump bright red colored cranberries readily divulge phytochemicals.
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds in plants.
They function as antioxidants, act as hormones, stimulate essential enzymes and interfere with DNA replication to prevent and fight chronic diseases, especially cancer.
Phytochemicals come in various forms.
Most colored fruits and vegetables have phytochemicals that act as powerful antioxidants.
They preserve the integrity of cells by mopping up free or unpaired radicals created by oxidative stress.
In so doing, they prevent aging and the onset of aging related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
However, not all fruits have the same quantity of antioxidants and bioavailability.
A study conducted by Cornell University revealed that cranberry ranked the highest in terms of antioxidant content and bioavailability.
This tiny bright red fruit has the highest level of antioxidants among apple, red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear and grapefruit.
Most importantly, the phenolics compounds in cranberry were found to have the strongest ability to inhibit hepatic cancer cells from replicating.
The Journal of Nutrition reports that cranberry works the same way on cancer cells of the prostate, skin, lung and brain.
Ellagic acid is another super antioxidant found in cranberries.
It affects apoptosis (cell suicide or programmed cell death) on breast cancer cells.
Moreover, the research discloses that it counteracts the effect of estrogen of feeding breast cancer cells.
Proanthocyanidin - the phytochemical responsible for urinary tract infection (UTI) prevention- also possesses anti-cancer properties.
When it was tested on tumor cells, the cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibited growth of lung and colon cancer cells.
As compared to proanthrocyanidins of other fruits, the cranberry juice proanthocyanidins have a higher potency in inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells.
Consuming just one kind of fruits doesn't give you all the varied health benefits of different phytochemicals.
Experts recommend drinking a mixture of fruit juices, vegetables and herbs known to be rich in phytochemicals to get the most out of those rich antioxidants.
Luscious cranberries are prepared as cranberry sauces, cranberry salad and utilized in other recipes.
The American Cancer Society recommends consuming 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables incorporated in a balanced diet to prevent and fight cancer.
Are you worried that you aren't consuming enough phytochemicals and antioxidants? If your lifestyle is so hectic that you can't keep track of the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you consume a day the best recourse is a natural supplement.
© Lisa K.
Moran, 2010
Those plump bright red colored cranberries readily divulge phytochemicals.
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds in plants.
They function as antioxidants, act as hormones, stimulate essential enzymes and interfere with DNA replication to prevent and fight chronic diseases, especially cancer.
Phytochemicals come in various forms.
Most colored fruits and vegetables have phytochemicals that act as powerful antioxidants.
They preserve the integrity of cells by mopping up free or unpaired radicals created by oxidative stress.
In so doing, they prevent aging and the onset of aging related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
However, not all fruits have the same quantity of antioxidants and bioavailability.
A study conducted by Cornell University revealed that cranberry ranked the highest in terms of antioxidant content and bioavailability.
This tiny bright red fruit has the highest level of antioxidants among apple, red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear and grapefruit.
Most importantly, the phenolics compounds in cranberry were found to have the strongest ability to inhibit hepatic cancer cells from replicating.
The Journal of Nutrition reports that cranberry works the same way on cancer cells of the prostate, skin, lung and brain.
Ellagic acid is another super antioxidant found in cranberries.
It affects apoptosis (cell suicide or programmed cell death) on breast cancer cells.
Moreover, the research discloses that it counteracts the effect of estrogen of feeding breast cancer cells.
Proanthocyanidin - the phytochemical responsible for urinary tract infection (UTI) prevention- also possesses anti-cancer properties.
When it was tested on tumor cells, the cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibited growth of lung and colon cancer cells.
As compared to proanthrocyanidins of other fruits, the cranberry juice proanthocyanidins have a higher potency in inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells.
Consuming just one kind of fruits doesn't give you all the varied health benefits of different phytochemicals.
Experts recommend drinking a mixture of fruit juices, vegetables and herbs known to be rich in phytochemicals to get the most out of those rich antioxidants.
Luscious cranberries are prepared as cranberry sauces, cranberry salad and utilized in other recipes.
The American Cancer Society recommends consuming 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables incorporated in a balanced diet to prevent and fight cancer.
Are you worried that you aren't consuming enough phytochemicals and antioxidants? If your lifestyle is so hectic that you can't keep track of the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you consume a day the best recourse is a natural supplement.
© Lisa K.
Moran, 2010
