Marsh cranberries are included in the list of protected plants in Tatarstan. This plant belongs to the heather family and is endangered. The plant also has other names – zhuravina, crane and snowdrop. The berries of a useful plant begin to ripen by mid-September. They can be harvested before winter, so the bright red berries adorn the grayness of the marshlands of late fall. Berries can be found even in early spring after the snow melts, then their taste is much sweeter, but the vitamin is almost gone.
Cranberries are a relative of blueberries and blueberries. The plant most often grows in swamps (a complete list of bog berries), in swampy forests and in the forest-tundra. In appearance, the plant is very fragile, the shrub has thin stems and small foliage. The cranberry is an evergreen plant; in winter, its small leaves hide under a layer of snow. The plant is not whimsical and is able to grow on the poorest soil.
The benefits of cranberries
The composition of the berries includes such useful components as:
- Vitamin C;
- citric and malic acid;
- vitamin B, PP and K1;
- potassium;
- zinc;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- iodine.
All of the listed components that make up the berries have a wide list of useful functions for the human body. Eating cranberries in autumn and winter, a person effectively increases their immunity and strengthens the body. Cranberry is considered a natural antibiotic and effectively fights respiratory diseases.
Cranberry helps in the fight against caries, is used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It has a diuretic effect, helps to reduce weight and fights urinary tract infections.
It is not for nothing that cranberries are considered a berry against all diseases, since its berries contain a large amount of antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals. They can cause a range of health problems:
- atherosclerosis;
- diabetes;
- oncological diseases;
- lesions of the nervous and endocrine system;
- heart attacks and strokes.
Antioxidants are very effective for weight loss, they improve fat metabolism and normalize digestion. In addition, antioxidants promote better absorption of minerals and vitamins by the body.
Contraindications
People with diseases should refuse to eat berries:
- stomach;
- liver;
- intestines;
- with exacerbation of peptic ulcer;
- with urolithiasis.
In the presence of these diseases, the use of cranberries is possible after the permission of a doctor.
How to eat berries correctly
Regular consumption of berries in high dosages can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. You can eat up to 2-3 tablespoons of berries per day. Eating marsh cranberries is possible in several ways:
- In its purest form. Harvested berries will be sweeter in spring, but the content of vitamins and minerals in them will be lower than that of cranberries in autumn.
- Cranberry juice. Not only good for health, it perfectly tones the body, increases physical and mental performance. To prepare fruit drink you will need: 1 glass of berries and 1 liter of water. Mix the ingredients and simmer over the fire for 10 minutes. Then add half a glass of sugar and bring the drink to a boil.
- Cranberry jelly. Cranberry kissel is not just tasty, it perfectly retains its useful properties and can be used during epidemics and colds.
In addition, juices, compotes, desserts and fruit teas are made from cranberries. Homemade cranberry syrup is considered the most proven and easiest cough recipe. To do this, it is necessary to combine freshly squeezed cranberry juice with honey in equal amounts and use a tablespoon 3 times a day after meals.
