Dear Readers,

You deserve a holiday reprieve from the grim story I have been recounting—although the story does have a surprisingly happy ending that you will discover if you can hang in there.

Below is the reprieve—a holiday recipe that you might enjoy. Without added sugar, it can be quite sour. I have remedied that situation with the addition of pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients:

Recipe for 6 servings

• 2 cups of cranberries
• 4 tangerines
• 1 cup of dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1 large apple
• 2 cups of coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup of pomegranate seeds

Place the cranberries in the food processor with two peeled tangerines and blend until the berries are finely ground.

In a mixing bowl, add the blended cranberries, two tangerines with each of the sections cut in half, the diced apples, chopped celery, the walnuts, dried cranberries, and the pomegranate seeds. Mix and chill.

As far as healthy foods go, cranberries are high on the list and could probably even be classified as a “super food.”

These bright red berries probably became associated with holiday feasts when the early European settlers first encountered Native Americans who used cranberries not only for food and medicine, but also to make dyes for their blankets.

There are many health benefits that come from eating cranberries. They are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients, such as anthocyanidins that give them their bright red color, and proanthocyanidins that help protect against stroke and other cardiovascular diseases by making the platelets less sticky, thereby reducing the viscosity of the blood. Their anti-inflammatory properties can also help reduce blood pressure.

Research has shown that cranberries protect against cancer by slowing tumor progression, especially with breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, due in part to a potent class of antioxidants called polyphenols. 

Cranberry extract is renowned for its effectiveness in treating very early stages of urinary tract infections. The fruit sugar, D-mannose, inhibits E. Coli—the bacteria that most commonly causes UTIs—from attaching to the urethra and wall of the bladder.

The fiber in cranberries is another big benefit, providing 20% of the recommended daily value in every serving. Fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria as well as keeping the digestive tract well-flushed.

Although cranberries have many positive attributes, consume them in moderation because they contain fructose that can be harmful to your health in excessive amounts. For that same reason, avoid drinking cranberry juice.

Here’s to your good health!