Cranberry Facts

Cranberries are the new perennial favorite fruit of this modern generation. In spite of their small size, they have an abundance of both tart and sweet flavor while equally rising to the very top of the list of nutritional "superfood". Popular as an ingredient in more than 1,000 food and beverage products, cranberries are also a staple in a variety of countless winning recipes the world over.

A brief history of the cranberry includes the Native Americans who named the berry Sassamanash as they began to use them as a food source and also as a base for wound medicine and dye. Thanks to the Native Americans, the starving pilgrims in the New World colonies were introduced to the cranberry and cranberries, in some form, may have been at the first Thanksgiving.

By the early 19th century cranberries were a farm crop in the Cape Cod region of America and then an export to Europe. Wild harvesting of the cranberry then became common place in the Nordic countries and in Russia.

The flowers of the low, creeping cranberry evergreen dwarf shrub are a trademark dark pink with what is described as reflexed petals. Pollinated by the honey bee, the berry grows white before turning a deep, luxuriant red when ripe. Cranberries are first cousins to the blueberry, huckleberry, and bilberry all being of the genus Vaccinium.

Acidic sandy bogs and marshes are historically fundamental to the growth and parturiency of the cranberry. Current methods for farming cranberries include massive beds in upland areas with shallow water table and where dikes surround the perimeter. Impressive irrigation systems protect from autumn frost while a strong drainage system allows for frequent drainage, as necessary.

With the advent of fall comes harvest time for the multi-million dollar cranberry industry with close to 7 million barrels produced in the United States in 2007. During harvest time the bogs and marshes are flooded with water so that the cranberries, each containing a pocket of air, rise to the surface whereby they are scooped up by industrial harvesting equipment. Wisconsin leads in cranberry production by supplying about 57 percent of the total U.S. Crop.

About 95% of the cranberry crop is frozen then later used for juices, sauce, or dried for application as a garnish or trail mix. Fresh cranberries must be delicately stored in shallow containers with perforated bottoms.

Well known as a natural aid for urinary tract infection, cranberries in some form have also been used for stomach ailments and liver problems. A powerhouse of antioxidants, cranberries are in the top five when it comes to the greatest antioxidant benefit, per serving. As part of a heart healthy diet, cranberries are a no fat, no cholesterol, very low sodium regimen.