There are plenty of reasons to add cranberries to your diet, but most people only think about cranberries around the holidays. I plead guilty on this count, too, since I’m writing this at the end of October, just as fresh organic cranberries are making themselves available for the taking. Make a pact with yourself this year. Don’t forget them after the holidays. Stock up on fresh organic cranberries now, freeze them in glass mason jars, and enjoy them year round because cranberries are the gift that keeps on giving.
These little red pearls of tartness present you with vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin K, and manganese. We, women, know they’re wonderful for helping prevent and treat urinary tract infections (cranberries seem to work by keeping bad bacteria from sticking to your bladder). But, that’s not all. They help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol. And, get this! These ferocious warriors have five times the antioxidants of broccoli and also seem to behave as natural probiotics.
My recent fascination is adding them to smoothies. The following recipe is simple, but you could add any number of things to it….hhhmmmm….I’m thinking red jalapeno peppers or raw chocolate or fresh herbs or leafy greens. Use the following recipe to get you started, or simply enjoy it as is.
Cranberry Delight Smoothie
1 1/2 cups water
3-4 bananas, peeled
3/4 – 1 cup fresh cranberries (depending the level of tartness desired)
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth and enjoy.