Thoughts on the cranberry's special powers
The cranberry's reputation as an infection-fighting superfood appears to be supported by science. Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute believe that tannin compounds in the berries prevent kidney and other urinary tract infections by literally changing the shape of the disease-causing bacterium and interfering with its ability to amass and initiate an infection.
The WPI team exposed bacteria to either Ocean Spray's Cranberry Juice Cocktail, which has a 27 percent cranberry concentration, or to the more concentrated tannin extracts alone. In both cases, the rod-shaped bacteria mutated into spheres, which thwarted their ability to bind to human urinary tract cells. The tannins added another level of protection: By intensifying the bacteria's negative charge, they caused the bacteria and human cells to repel each other like magnets. The researchers also saw a change in the way bacteria exposed to the tannins expressed a key messaging molecule, and suspect that they may lose their ability to communicate and reach critical mass.
The results suggest that the higher the concentration of cranberry you're getting, the better the protection is apt to be. "When it's higher, you see the changes in the bacteria faster," says researcher Terri Camesano, who has studied bacterial adhesion and cranberries for 10 years. Because we all carry the offending bacteria naturally in our gut, says Camesano, consistently having the cranberries' active compounds in the system might prevent infection and reduce the need for antibiotic treatment.
So drink to your health.
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