The cranberry has a long tradition in terms of human health. Already Hildegard von Bingen made use of the small red fruits as a remedy in the 12th century. The berries contain many vitamins, iron and potassium – nevertheless, those interested in medicinal herbs should rather not eat them raw, because they taste very tart and sour. Many other ways exist to benefit from the potential of the cranberry.
Occurrence and cultivation of the cranberry
The cranberry is a small-growing heather plant. It hardly grows taller than about half a meter, usually the shrub is also only about 20 cm high. The cranberry bush (lat. vaccinium vitis-idaea) is found in Europe, North America and Asia – it grows particularly well in barren and cool regions. It thrives in high moors, dry forests and in the mountains. Hardly any berry is known by so many names: Cranberry , Stoneberry, Boxberry, Winter Cherry, Duttenberry, Bickelbeere, Flourberry or Sourberry are just a few of those that the vernacular has given to the fruits of the shrub. The cranberry is a small-growing heather plant. It hardly grows taller than about half a meter, and usually the shrub is only about 20 cm high. The plant is evergreen and needs partial shade and an acidic soil for good growth. It tolerates winter cold without problems, or even the cranberry seed needs the cold to germinate. The leaves are arranged in an upside-down ovoid shape and curl slightly downward. Overall, they are between 1 to 2 centimeters long. The leaf edge is smooth. While the upper side of the leaves is shiny dark green, there are many glandular hairs on the underside of the leaves.
Effect and application
When the cranberry blooms, it forms dark red flower buds that are clustered together in the upper part of the bush. If fertilization by bees was successful, the first white fruits form after 5 to 6 weeks. The flowering period of the cranberry bush starts between May and June. This means that from July the first (still) white berries emerge from the red flowers. As soon as these have changed their color to a strong red, the berries are fully ripe. The cranberry season for harvesting is late summer. If the beginning of autumn is particularly mild, the last fruits can be found even in September and October. Harvested cranberries are best processed fresh, as the fruits are delicate. Short storage times are also possible in the refrigerator if the fruit is intact; however, damaged berries must be sorted out beforehand, as they quickly turn rotten and begin to mold. Cranberry juice or syrup is obtained simply by boiling the fruit, straining it and adding sugar. Mixed with water, cranberry juice is a popular and healthy thirst quencher. Boiled down without water and with plenty of sugar, cranberries make a digestible jam. And even when dried, cranberries are extremely tasty. When gently preserved in a dehydrator/stove, they can be used like raisins after drying. The dried cranberry leaves are also used: as a tea they are used for a wide variety of ailments. The leaves are best collected from May to August. In a cool and shady place, they should be dried before storage. For a tea infusion, about 1-2 teaspoons of leaves are poured over boiling water per cup. For a long-term cure it is recommended to take 1-3 cups of cranberry leaves tea every day. Unfortunately, cranberries do not taste good raw, as they are very tart and sour. However, it is precisely these sour and tart tasting ingredients that make the cranberry interesting as a medicinal herb.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Cranberries contain vitamin C, provitamin A and vitamins from the B group. In addition, the fruits have minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. The reason why cranberries taste so sour is called: salicylic acid. In addition to the other fruit acids, it is this substance that can have a pain-relieving effect on complaints. This is especially true with regard to infections of the urinary tract, which can extend to inflammation of the renal pelvis. Drinking cranberry juice or cranberry leaf tea supports the body in the event of illness in a similar way to bearberry.The leaves of the cranberry contain a lot of arbutin and tannin, both of which have an antibacterial effect. In addition to the astringent and antibacterial potential, the infusion of the cranberry bush is also said to have a calming effect on the nerves or even reduce fever. Especially cooled cranberry juice is very beneficial during a cold. The high proportion of vitamin C contained in the cranberry certainly also plays its part in recovery. In case of vitamin C deficiency, cranberries are a useful food supplement, as they contain about 13 mg of vitamin C per hundred grams of fruit. Patients suffering from gout and rheumatism can also benefit from the anti-inflammatory effect of cranberries due to vitamin C. The beneficial effect of the cranberry is also supported by the fact that it is impossible to imagine domestic cuisine without it. The berry with medicinal potential is an integral part of certain dishes: processed into jam, it is served by experienced cooks as a fruity garnish to baked camembert, Wiener schnitzel and game dishes. The berry is very versatile; and for some time now, the close relative of the cranberry – the cranberry – has also been making a name for itself, possessing very similar properties.
