LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Finding new ways to refresh your eating routine can be tricky and time-consuming, especially if you’re trying to pack more fruits and vegetables into your day. If you’re looking for a fruit that works as hard as you do, consider the tasty and flavorful cranberry. Updating your diet to include nutrient-dense foods like cranberries is a simple way to give your body the boost it needs morning, noon and night.
Add a Little Cran to Your Everyday Meal Plan
Cranberries are Mother Nature’s Superfruit. Whether you eat three square meals a day or prefer smaller portions throughout, adding the healthy goodness of the cranberry has never been easier thanks to a wide range of product choices from Ocean Spray®.
Morning:
Kick-start your day with the power-packed cranberry. Mixed Berry Smoothies can be a great way to incorporate fruit – both whole and juice – into your morning routine. According to the USDA MyPlate, consuming one 8-ounce (236 ml) serving of 100% juice, such asOcean Spray® 100% Juice Cranberry Juice Blend, is the same as eating one cup of fruit. That’s 50 percent of your recommended daily fruit intake for the day. And, if you are looking to cut down on calories, one 8-ounce (236 ml) serving of Ocean Spray® Light Cranberry Juice Drink is equal to ½ cup of fruit.
Noon:
Looking for a portable, healthy treat that can satisfy as a snack or sass-up your lunch? Just add Craisins® Dried Cranberries. From sweet and savory snacks like Ladybugs on a Log to simple salads, adding Craisins® Dried Cranberries is an easy way to add more fruit to your diet. In fact, USDA MyPlate guidelines indicate that eating a ½ cup (59 ml) of Craisins® Dried Cranberries is the same as eating a whole cup of fruit. An added bonus is that Craisins® Dried Cranberries are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and are a good source of fiber.
Night:
You’ve been sneaking fruit into your diet all day but don’t stop there! Satisfy every taste bud on your tongue by adding the bold, tart taste of cranberries to sides, entrées or after dinner snacks. Pairing simple ingredients like Craisins® Dried Cranberries with Cranberry Juice Cocktail can amp-up the simplest chicken dish or add a zesty zing to sides like Cranberry Mint Marinated Cucumbers. Craving an after-dinner sweet? Try the Berry Refreshing Green Tea Granita.
Cranberries pack a powerful nutritional punch!
Cranberries taste good, and are good for you too, because a myriad of cranberry products, including cranberry juice cocktail, contain PACs – a powerful nutrient known to play a role in preventing urinary tract infections.
According to Amy Howell, PhD, a leading cranberry research scientist at the Marucci Blueberry and Cranberry Research Center at Rutgers University, NJ, “There are PACs in cranberry juice cocktail, about 36 mg in a 10-ounce glass. This is the amount that has been shown to have protective health benefits in clinical trials.”
Decades of scientific studies from independent research institutions globally have provided evidence tying the regular consumption of cranberry products to urinary tract health and the reduction of recurrent UTIs, while newer, novel research suggests that cranberries have anti-bacterial properties that may help to suppress the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers and cavity-forming bacteria1, 2. Emerging research also supports the cranberry’s role in promoting heart health due to their rich polyphenol content3.
“The overwhelming evidence supporting the health benefits of all forms of cranberry products makes a compelling case to incorporate cranberries in a nutritious diet,” says Terry Humfeld, Executive Director of the Cranberry Institute. “Not only are cranberries healthy, but they are available in a variety of forms – from juice, fresh, dried, or sauce – to appeal to every palate.”
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 Shmuely H, Ofek I, Weiss EI, Rones Z, Houri-Haddad Y. Cranberry components for the therapy of infectious disease. Curr Opin Biotechnol, 2012; 23(2):148-52.
2 Bonifait L, Grenier D. Cranberry polyphenols: potential benefits for dental caries and periodontal disease. Journal of the Canadian Dental Association, 2010; 76: a130.
3 Rodriguez-Mateos A, Heiss C, Borges G, Crozier A. Berry (Poly)phenols and Cardiovascular Health. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2014; 7(62):3842-3851.
