What is cranberry?

Cranberry is originated from New England of the North America. This word is derivated from a travel to find a fruit called Crain Berry. In 1600s, cranberry was introduced to the first settlers in the North America, and they began to use this as food. 

Meanwhile, Indians ate the wild cranberry raw or sweetened one. Its grinded powder was used as juicy food together with meat or fish. Many travelers and hunters used dried cranberry as their emergency food. Just like British men using lime and other citrus fruits to prevent scorbutus disease, American sea men have done the same.

Effect of cranberry

1. Prevention of a variety of urinary diseases 

The effect of cranberry on urinary system health has been passed down as a folk remedy for a long time. The first records of cranberry used by a doctor were traced back to 1923. More recently, there are many scientific studies on the use of healing agent for urinary system infection. In 1994, Harvard Medical School announced a clinical study that shows the relations between the regular intake of cranberry juice and the growth of bacteria. In this study, it was reported by the average age 78 year-old women that there was the great decline in the bacteria related to the infection of urinary system when they took cranberry juice on a regular basis. This Harvard study concluded that cranberry has something special so that urinary tract infection causing E.coli bacteria would not be attached to the inside wall of a bladder. cranberry contains rich amount of flavonoid, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin that has antioxidation effect, It prevents E.coli, the main causal virus of urinary tract infection from being attached to epithelial cells of a urinary tract, thereby discharging it together with urine, which is effective in preventing the infection of a urinary tract and lowering the recurrence rate. In addition, cranberry acidifies urine, which is good for the inflammation of the bladder, by stopping colon bacillus from being attached to a bladder and a urethral mucous membrane.

2. Prevention of heart disease 

 Artery hardening is caused by accumulated harmful cholesterol called LDL, which inhibits the blood flow in artery. Rich amount of flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contained in cranberry expands the blood vessel as an antioxidant, thereby lowering the risk of artery hardening. It is effective for preventing thrombus, heart disease, angina, high blood pressure, heart attack and seizure which are caused by blood circulation. 

In addition, there are two types of mineral associated to blood pressure level: natrium and potassium. While food with high natrium content raises blood pressure, that with low potassium content lowers blood pressure. As cranberry contains potassium with low natrium content, it helps maintain healthy level of blood pressure. Maintaining healthy level of blood pressure is good for reducing the risk of stroke, one of heart diseases. 

Once endothelium cells attached to artery is damaged by oxidation stress or inflammation, such damaged region begins to have scar tissue to which cholesterol sticks to become the obstacles that prevent main artery connected to a heart. It was revealed that the antioxidant substances contained in cranberry called anthocyanin and hydroxycinnamic acid protect cells from this 산, and relieve inflammation, one of reasons for inducing scar tissue growth.

3. Anti-oxidation effect 

Cranberry has rich anthocyanin. Its red color is because of this antioxidant substance called anthocyanin. It was proved that Cyanidin-3-galactoside, one of anthocyanin types contained in cranberry has double antioxidant effect, compared to Trolox whose effect is similar to vitamin E. This antioxidant substance has excellent inhibition and prevention anti-aging effect.

 4. Anticancer effect 

Type A proanthocyanidin is strong antioxidant substance contained in cranberry. It is combined with tumor protein of ovarian cancer cells and blocks the activity, thereby increasing the sensitiveness to healing and anticancer effect. A study resulted in the six times higher percentage of cancer cell deaths when cancer cells from a ovarian cancer patient with the tolerance to anticancer drugs was exposed to the cranberry extract before the administration of paraplatin anticancer effective drug, than when they were not exposed to cranberry extract. In addition, it was revealed that, in the international conference on nutrient food and health food, strong effective anticancer antioxidant called tocotrienol is contained much more than in other food.

5. Ulcer inhibition 

Proanthocyanidin contained in cranberry has anti-adhesive effect that inhibits the .Pylori (Helicobacter Pylori), the causal bacteria Hof duodenal ulcer, ulcer, gastric ulcer and gastric cancer from being stuck to gastric mucous membrane or epithelial cells.

6. Prevention of dental disease 

According to a study of the Journal of the American Dental Association, natural component contained in cranberry stops the activity of dental Streptococcus mutans, the decayed tooth causal bacteria. The bacteria of decayed tooth form glucan, the precursor of tartar. Glucan lies in teeth, eating sugar in food, producing acid and wearing enamel on the surface of tooth to make tartar. cranberry prevents glucan, the precursor from being formed, helping bacteria has no place in teeth.

Study on cranberry 

1. Reduction of bacteriuria and pyuria after ingestion of cranberry juice. (Avorn J1, Monane M, Gurwitz JH, Glynn RJ, Choodnovskiy I, Lipsitz LA. JAMA. 1994 Mar 9;271(10):751-4.) 

: The reduction of bacteriuria and anemia was observed in pyuria patients after ingestion of cranberry juice.

2. A high molecular mass constituent of cranberry juice inhibits helicobacter pylori adhesion to human gastric mucus. (Burger O1, Ofek I, Tabak M, Weiss EI, Sharon N, Neeman I. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2000 Dec;29(4):295-301.) 

: High-molecular mass of cranberry juice inhibits H. pylori from being stuck to gastric mucus and red blood cell.

3. Cranberry extract inhibits low density lipoprotein oxidation. (Wilson T1, Porcari JP, Harbin D. Life Sci. 1998;62(24):PL381-6.) 

: Cranberry extract inhibits LDL particles from oxidation and deformation.

4. Efficacy of cranberry juice on Helicobacter pylori infection: a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. (Zhang L1, Ma J, Pan K, Go VL, Chen J, You WC. Helicobacter. 2005 Apr;10(2):139-45.)

: Intake of cranberry juice on a regular basis has the effect of inhibiting against H.pylori infection.

What is Cran-Max ? ?

Cran-Max ? is composed of 100% cranberry particles without the use of chemical additives at all including preservative, sugar, water, coloring and flavoring agents. Thirty four pounds of fresh cranberry are used to make 1 pound of cranberry extract. As it contains all of flesh, seeds, fruit skin and juice of cranberry, it has antioxidant effect three times higher than in cranberry juice.
Cran-Max ? is made using a patented Bio-Shield? (US patent ; 6,231,866 B1) and prevents cranberry from being destructed by gastric acid, and delivers it to stomach for good absorption. There has been no report on adverse effect of cranberry or Cran-Max ? up to date.