Red Hot Reasons Why The Cranberry Will Make Your New Year Happier and Healthier!

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Let’s face it, we all look forward to the delicious treats, snacks and elaborate meals that are synonymous with year-end festivities. Shortly after the New Year, we reflect on the past, make resolutions for the future and become mindful of our present selves (and all of those treats that we shamelessly indulged in over the last month).

Every year, resolutions revolve around getting our eating and exercise routines back on track – but rather than focusing only on outward appearances, remember to care for your body’s overall health. While the routine of daily life and work pressure can make healthy eating a bit of a challenge, the delicious variety of Ocean Spray® cranberry products provide a tasty and easy way to add more fruit to your diet – every day, everywhere, and in every way.

Cranberries not only taste good and help you increase your fruit intake, they are nutrient-dense and provide health benefits from supporting urinary tract health to digestive tract health to heart health. It’s amazing what a little cranberry can do, so start 2016 the right way by making cranberries your go-to for great taste and even better health!

Delicious and Nutritious for You
Pouring yourself a tall, tasty glass of cranberry juice cocktail is a healthy way to start your day and will not only rejuvenate your taste buds but will help to cleanse and purify your body from the inside out.

Cranberries contain a unique combination of compounds, such as Type-A proanthocyanidins (PACs), that target the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, such as preventing them from sticking in the body¹. These unique antibacterial properties, which may be a nutritional approach to help maintain a healthy urinary tract, may help to reduce the frequency of antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections ².

Treat Your Tummy Well
The benefits of Mother Nature’s Superfruit don’t stop there: The cranberry may also help promote gastrointestinal health.

Half of the world’s population are infected with H. pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers³. The cranberry’s antibacterial properties, can help to suppress H. pylori^4,5 by preventing adhesion in the body, may help balance digestive bacteria⁶ and reduce inflammation⁷.

Emerging research suggests that the cranberry may also help ward off bacteria in the mouth⁸.

The Perfect Pick for your Plate…
The cranberry certainly adds an array of health benefits to your diet. Need one more reason to add a little cranberry into your daily diet? Adding a variety of Ocean Spray® products to your plate, such as 100% Juice and Craisins® Dried Cranberries, helps create a well-rounded meal that is USDA MyPlate approved: one 8-ounce serving of 100% Juice is equal to one cup of fruit, and ¼ cup of Craisins® Dried Cranberries meets 25 percent of your recommended daily fruit intake and is also a good source of fiber.

Now that you have the inside scoop on the cranberry, let your taste buds do the talking!

… And Your Palate!
From their vibrant color to their versatile flavor, cranberries are an ideal addition to any meal – and with Ocean Spray’s diverse product offering, you can include cranberries into your meal every way! Here’s how to rev up your recipe routine with the refreshingly bold taste of cranberry:

• Morning: Add a cup of Cranberry Juice Cocktail to your favorite smoothie or try this Mixed Berry Smoothie recipe for an extra helping of fruit. If you are craving a breakfast pastry, these Light Cranberry Oat Scones will help fuel up your day in a healthy way.
• Noon: Looking for something savory and sweet? Boost your lunch with a fat-free and cholesterol free addition with bold flavor: A base of spinach, quinoa and cucumbers is completed with a handful of Craisins® Dried Cranberries to round out the meal and add more fruit and fiber into your diet. If you’re looking for a punch of protein, try our Chicken Cranberry Almond Salad.
• Night: Explore the lighter side of desserts by freezing Ocean Spray® Light Cranberry Juice Drink into refreshing Berry Chocolate Yogurt Pops, or top low-calorie frozen yogurt with a handful of Craisins®.

About Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry and grapefruit growers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. Formed in 1930, Ocean Spray is now the world’s leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries and is the best-selling brand in the North American bottled juice category. The cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide. With more than 2,000 employees and nearly 20 cranberry receiving and processing facilities, Ocean Spray is committed to managing our business in a way that respects our communities, employees and the environment. For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com or www.oceanspray.coop.

¹ Kaspar KL, Howell B, Khoo C. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the bacterial anti-adhesion effects of cranberry extract beverages. Food and Function, 2015, 6(4):1212-7
² Salo, J.; Uhari, M.; Helminen, M.; Korppi, M.; Nieminen, T.; Pokka, T.; Kontiokari, T., Cranberry Juice for the Prevention of Recurrences of Urinary Tract Infections in Children: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2012, 54, 340-346.
³ Eusebi, LH, RM Zagari, and F. Bazzoli. "Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Sept. 2014.
⁴ Zhang, L.; Ma, J.; Pan, K.; Go, V. L. W.; Chen, J.; You, W.-c., Efficacy of cranberry juice on Helicobacter pylori infection: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Helicobacter 2005, 10, 139-145.
⁵ Gotteland, M.; Andrews, M.; Toledo, M.; Munoz, L.; Caceres.; Anziani, A.; Wittig E.; Speisky, H.; Salazar G. Modulation of Helicobacter pylori colonization with cranberry juice and Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 in children. Nutrition 2008, 24 (5): 421-6.
⁶ Khoo, C.; Hullar, M.; Li, F.; Stephaniants K.; Levy, L.; Roderick, R.; Lampe, J. Effect of cranberry juice intake on human gut microbial community and urinary metabolites in a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention. FASEB 2010, 24: 720.3.
⁷ Martin, M.; Ramos, S.; Mateos, R.; Marais, J.; Bravo-Clemente, L. Khoo, C.; Goya, L. Chemical characterization and chemo protective activity of cranberry phenolic powders in a model of cell culture. Response of the antioxidant defenses and regulation of signaling pathways. Food Research International 2015, 71, 68-82.
⁸ Bonifait, L.; Grenier, D., Cranberry polyphenols: potential benefits for dental caries and periodontal disease. Journal of the Canadian Dental Association 2010, 76, a130.