Cranberries or botanically name (Vacciunium macrocapron) for millennia have been a part of the diet of North American and used for medicinal purpose in folk medicine. The cranberries are most familiar to consumers in North America, close relative of the cranberry also consumed in Northern Europe and Asia.
In North America and Europe, cranberries are primarily processed and consumed in form of cranberry juices, cranberry juice cocktails, and cranberry fruit juice with the oldest cranberry juice recipe dating back to 1683.
Cranberries are popular with the consumers because of their bitter-tart taste, and because of their positive implication for health as a functional food, they are one of the first functional foods in America.
Compounds in cranberry may inhibit atherosclerosis though inhibiting inflammation in the vascular system. Anti-inflammatory actions can reduce vascular permeability and reduce adherence to the endothelium.
For many years cranberry juice has been a popular choice for the treatment and prevention of UTIs.
Cranberry juice may also be useful for promoting cardiovascular health and inhibiting cancer development, and suggestions have also been made regarding cranberry applications for improving oral and gastric health.
Cranberry beverage
