So, you ask, exactly what is the 'cranberry', and is it really so good for you?

The Cranberry shrub is a simple evergreen dwarf shrub commonly found in acidic marshlands in the cooler parts of the northern parts of the USA.

The actual berry of the cranberry shrub starts as a basic pale white, however as it grows and becomes ripe it changes gradually to a deep burgundy hue.

Even though it is a member of exactly the same plant family as the blueberry and the whinberry, the cranberry is a little a lot more sharp, which, as a consequence helps to work well with the fruity sweetness, a fact which puts it in that strange niche in the world of food of fruits that can accompany meat and poultry based dishes and also desserts.

Cranberries most likely got their name from the fact that they are frequently consumed by cranes (ie 'craneberry') - although a few folklore experts hold the view that the true etymology of the name is based on the fact that in the the early stages of the shrub's development, it looks a little bit like the outline of a crane. Whatever the real etymology, the word 'cranberry' is now well known through the entire world.

Cranberries represent a major economic cash-crop in many northern US States, and have a special and historic place in North American culture as some experts believe that they were presented to starving settlers by the aboriginal inhabitants. As a result, cranberry sauce is a vital piece of the much-loved thanksgiving meal eaten by millions of Americans every year.

Most of the annual cranberry yield is converted to juice and cranberry jelly, however more and more of it is now traded in its raw state as a result of medical claims that cranberry is one of the 'superfoods', having beneficial nutritional content and antioxidant 'reducing agent' qualities.

In the past, these tasty berries were cultivated in 'cranberry beds' in shallow wetlands, but more recently the beds are found in upland regions with a shallow water table. In these areas, contrary to the percieved wisdom, the cranberry beds are not kept submerged but are continuously irrigated to ensure that there is a raised water content in the soil.

Cranberry juice is now very popular every country, and as an alternative to the ubiquitous 'red' juice, is also available in a clear or 'white' form which is made from younger fruit.

Cranberries' Health Benefits

It is thought that cranberry juice is blessed with medicinal properties which aid in preventing bacterialogical infections of the urinary tract.

In addition, the amazing cranberry has been useful in treating a good many other health problems, such as a treatment for flesh wounds, diarrhea, diabetes mellitus, tummy aches, and as an aid to a problem liver. A bit of research has been completed which proves that regular consumption of cranberry berry juice might even help to lower the risks of heart conditions.

As with all similar health claims, one should practice extreme caution - qualified professional opinion is still varied and the correct reason for increasing your consumption of these versatile and tasty berries is the observable fact they taste great! As noted earlier in this article, cranberries are used to make both sweet and savoury meals, with an extremely popular use being as an accompaniment to the old fashioned roast turkey. Don't let this 'old fashioned' use put you off though, these tasty berries are also quite superb when used in sweet dishes.

If you are looking for some yummy recipes for cranberry there are many of these tasty recipes on the web, but in case you can't wait, here is a tasty cranberry recipe:

A Recipe for Cranberry Cobbler

Recipe ingredients

1 Orange (thick skinned)
One cup of water
1/2 cup Granulated sugar (or equivalent low carb sugar substitute)
4 cups Cranberries
1 tbsp Unsalted butter
One Package Biscuit Dough (to make 8 biscuits).

How to prepare

Finely grate the rind of the orange. Juice the orange. Mix juice of the orange, the orange rind, water, granulated sugar (or equivalent low carb sugar substitute), cranberry berries & butter (far better than margarine) in a deep non-stick pan. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for one min to produce a thick cranberry sauce.

Split the sauce evenly between 8 well-greased ovenproof baking dishes or, for one large portion, into a casserole dish. Put the biscuit dough on top of the cranberry sauce.

Oven bake at 450 f for ten min, lower heat setting and oven bake at 350 f (180 c) for another 20 mins.

serves 8.

Each serving has 98 calories

About the Author

R.Wakefield is a content contributor for: recipe ideas, which offers amateur chefs a selection of delicious cranberry recipes guaranteed to impress your dinner guests.