Cranberries as a Cure?
We’ve
all heard the age-old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” When I
was younger, I remember my mom frantically stuffing an apple into my backpack
as I left for school every morning. Recent studies, however, have proven that
cranberries may just be more effective than apples in serving as natural
medication. Although they may not be people’s general go-to fruit, the benefits
of using cranberries for medicinal purposes have been unmistakable, dating back to several hundred years ago. The Native Americans made ample use of this valuable healing
fruit. They specifically used them to heal wounds, urinary tract infections and
bladder diseases—demonstrating their antibacterial property. Cranberries are
also a gold mine of vitamin C—as the Pilgrims discovered while looking for
nutritional food sources in the New World. In fact, they are known to protect
against certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, pathogenic fungal
infection, Alzheimer’s disease, Parikinson’s disease, and strokes (all carried
out by a berry the size of a marble!) Is it possible to pinpoint what exactly makes
cranberries so “healthy”? What is the chemistry behind this miraculous,
mysterious fruit?
A study conducted by Catherine Neto and her collegues at the
University of Massechussetts Dartmouth
addressed this question. Cranberries contain over 150 phytochemicals (naturally
occurring chemical compounds)—the behaviors of which could help to expain the
details of the cranberry’s antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial
properties. Neto partnered up with Terri Camesano at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute to investigate the antibacterial characteristics of cranberries. In
order to infect cells, bacteria must first fix themselves to the surfaces, and
subsequently proliferate to form a colony. Neto and Camesano found that certain
molecules within cranberries prevent the adhesion of bacteria to cells. This
explains the usage of cranberries by the Native Americans!
Shown above is a single phenol, which means a benzene ring + hydoxyl group.The chelation of iron (process of making
iron soluble) is necessary to prevent the build-up of iron, causing many
diseases. Too much iron can also lead to the formation of hydroxyl radicals,
which can cause excessive oxidative stress (not enough/fluctuating oxygen levels)
in the body. Cranberries carry out effective chelation of iron due to the
prevalence of polyphenols in their phytochemicals. The polyphenols can bind to
and remove excess iron.
The
phenolic ‘ingredients’ in cranberries, such as quercetin and prothanocyadin
(gives them their red color), largely give them their healthy reputation. As
Neto found in 2001, Quercetin and proanthocyadin are two examples of compounds
in cranberries that inhibit the growth of cancer cells—promoting cancer cell
death and reducing oxidative stress.
Look
at the number of phenol groups in these two
compounds!
I find
it somewhat odd that there is a relatively low demand for such a prized fruit.
Despite their sour taste, it would be extremely beneficial to incorporate more
cranberries in our diets. I came across some recipes of certain dishes prepared
with cranberries that I thought sounded delicious. One was for cranberry chutney and the other for
cranberry bread (my grandmother
makes a lot of chutney for Indian cooking at home so I’ll definitely run this
recipe by her!). And, of course, there’s always cranberry juice. So, next time
you are tempted to devour an apple, just remember: “a cranberry a day keeps the
doctor away!
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Hi! I’m Meera, and I’m currently a
senior at Detroit Country Day School. I enjoy swimming, music, playing the
piano, Harry Potter, and of course, organic chemistry!
Meera,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. I liked the introduction, along with the discussion of specific structures. I've always been intrigued by chemical structures and how small changes can lead to large differences in biological activity.
I have never liked cranberries, but after your post I might have to give it a try.
I tried to post earlier from my iPad and it didn't show the link to the article that discusses the studies you mention here. I'm glad you included it in your post. I also made the request for you to consider including a works cited list so that people that are interested in the specific concepts you mention can find more details. For example, you mention recent studies comparing cranberries to apples. Is that the same link you included later?
Overall, though, I certainly enjoyed reading the post.
If you have time, please consider visiting my own students' blog posts, found on the "Student Blogs" page on our class blog: http://aisbchemblog.wordpress.com. I am also hoping that my students will spend some time commenting on this blog as well.
Thank you again for the blog post.
Mr. T
Mr. T,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
To answer your question, the source is linked further on in the paragraph: "dating back several hundred years ago." Thanks for the suggestion to add a works cited list, I will do so.
I will certainly comment on your students' posts.
Thanks again,
Meera
Love the post and congrats on the mention/cite. You should pass the info onto @compoundchem and see if you two can collaborate on an infographic. Check them out here. Would love to see this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.compoundchem.com/infographics/#food
http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/03/07/why-does-grapefruit-interact-with-drugs-the-chemistry-of-a-grapefruit/