Cranberries have enormous medicinal value. This was known to man from a very, very long time ago. Proof of this is the fact that the Indians, as mentioned earlier, used them to make different medicinal preparations. While cynics may dismiss these potions and ointments as being the handiwork of medicine men, shamans, and quacks, they were often very effective.

That the Indians and the colonists knew about the medicinal value of cranberries is evident from the fact that the sailors from those times used cranberries to prevent scurvy. Scurvy occurs as a result of a shortage of Vitamin C in the body. Cranberries are rich in Vitamin C as well as in phytochemicals.

Again, right from the early days, from around the 17th century, cranberries have been known to be effective against urinary infections. At that time, doctors in Germany made a startling discovery: people who ate cranberries happened to have sharp increases in the levels of hippuric acid in their urine. Hippuric acid is known to fight against bacteria, thereby preventing urinary infections.

Besides urinary infections, cranberries have been known to be effective in battling oral infections, as well as heart disease today.

Cranberry-Related Research Today

From those early days, things have moved on, though essentially in the same direction. Today, researchers are conducting studies that have shown cranberries to be effective in battling urinary infections.

There are other areas of medicine and healthcare that cranberries are proving to be very effective in. Today, the US government too recognizes this; and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has now set aside funds dedicated to studies solely on the medical impact of cranberries. The special point of focus of this study is to see how cranberries help fight bacteria and prevent illnesses of different types in the human body.

This article has been written in order to provide the reader with background information on cranberries. In the next article, we will discuss the different studies that are being undertaken with regard to cranberries and their medicinal properties.