Cranberry Juice Confers Cardiac Benefits

Abundant in proanthocyanidins – a potent antioxidant compound, cranberries are also a good source of vitamins C and E. Janet A Novotny, from the US Agricultural Research Service of the Department of Agriculture (Maryland, USA), and colleagues enrolled 30 women and 26 men, average age 50 years, who were at-risk for cardiometabolic diseases, in an 8-week long study in which the subjects consumed a low-calorie cranberry juice (containing 172 mg of phenolic compounds), or placebo beverage.  Cranberry juice lowered fasting serum triglyceride levels, C-reactive protein, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose. As well , those who received cranberry juice showed improvements in insulin resistance. The study authors submit that: “[Low-calorie cranberry juice] can improve several risk factors of [cardiovascular disease] in adults.”