Cranberry is a healthy fruit with unique health functions, and cranberry fruit powder or extract products are widely welcomed in the international market. So, as a functional ingredient, what are its key roles in supplements and related products?
1. Prevent urinary tract infections
In 1998, Ahuja et al. used cranberry juice as a medium and observed a significant decrease in the number of Escherichia coli cilia under electron microscopy. In the same year, Howell A.B et al. first identified proanthocyanidins (PACs) as the reason why cranberry was able to inhibit urinary infection. By comparing the urine culture of Escherichia coli before and after taking cranberry juice, Howell et al found that the urine before taking cranberry juice had no inhibitory effect on bacterial adhesion, while the urine after taking cranberry juice could inhibit 31 kinds of bacteria. Adhesion of experimental bacteria, adhesion of 19 drug-resistant bacteria. Moreover, this inhibitory effect was manifested 2 hours after drinking cranberry juice, and could last until 10 hours after drinking.
2. Anti-Helicobacter pylori
Studies have shown that polyphenols extracted from cranberries can inhibit the proliferation of Helicobacter pylori. The research results of Ora Burger et al. show that high concentration of cranberry extract can effectively inhibit the adhesion of Helicobacter pylori, which can prevent diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori such as gastric ulcer. The study by Zhang et al. showed that citing cranberry juice can effectively control the infection of Helicobacter pylori in the population.
3. Prevent cardiovascular disease
Cranberries contain a variety of antioxidant substances, which can resist lipid peroxidation in unsaturated fatty acids in biofilms, protect the structure and function of cell membranes, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
4. Protect the mouth and teeth
Cranberry extract is able to isolate the flora in the mouth. In particular, it inhibits the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which cause caries and plaque, to teeth and promotes oral health.
5. Slow down aging
Studies on Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans with cranberry extract have shown that ingestion of cranberries can delay the aging state.
6. Others
Cranberries also have many other health benefits, such as:
①Enhancing the immune function of the body may be related to the ability to activate macrophages first;
②It has a protective effect on gastric mucosa, and has curative effect on gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
③ treatment of viral diseases.