Cranberries are integral fruits for celebrating Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. The name “cranberry” originated by German and Dutch pioneers because they frequently noticed that cranes were enjoying these berries. The original name was “crane berry” which subsequently became cranberry. Now let’s check these ten facts about cranberries.
10 Facts About Cranberries
Cranberries originated in North America and they are one of three major North American native fruits. The first cranberry cultivation was completed in 1815.
Today, over 110,000 metric tons of cranberries are produced in the US alone.
Cranberries are of various types: American – bright red in color, most common in the United States; European – smaller than the American variety and eaten less often, used primarily as ornamentation; Mountain – occasionally found in markets, bright to dark red in color; Highbush – primarily used for preparing jelly, jam, and sauce,
The cranberry is an evergreen shrub, usually 2 – 6 inches tall. Since it is a sub-shrub, it often forms rhizomatous colonies or mats.
The fruits are globular and ¼” to ½” in diameter and four-celled. These berries are quite sour in taste and contain seeds.
Fresh cranberries are easily stored inside the refrigerator. However, they should be tightly sealed in a plastic bag.
Take care of fresh cranberries because if one starts getting soft and decaying, it affects the others quickly. Remove the soft ones from the fresh cranberries to retain their freshness.
Though cranberry fruits taste better if cooked, they are also eaten fresh if one wants to enjoy the sour taste. You can prepare a tangy tart sauce with cranberries or the dried cranberries can add a tangy twist to your favorite breakfast cereal. You can also try cranberry in the form of juice or to prepare jam, jelly, candy, syrup, beverages, and wine. Mashed cranberries can be mixed with dried meat for longevity.
Cranberries are not only used as food. Americans discovered their medicinal and preservative powers early on. Cranberry mixtures were used on arrow wounds to take out the poison. It has also been reported that the extracts obtained from cranberry leaves and stems are used in the pharmaceutical industry as a medicine to cure intestinal disorders.
Cranberry juice is also quite effective in preventing urinary tract infections.
Hope you enjoy these 10 facts about cranberries and share them with your friends.
