Dried Cranberry Benefits

Dried fruits are amongst our most favorite and probably one of the best snack forms. Since quite a long time, dried fruits have been a rich source of all the essential nutrients. When it comes to dried fruits, we often think of raisins, apricots, plums etc! But let me tell you, there's something more beyond these, dried cranberries! Dried cranberries, which are also known as craisins, are another great source of many important nutrients, and also contribute a lot of health benefits. Moreover, dried cranberries constitute a vital part in many salad recipes, cereals and breads. Needless to say, all of them are beneficial to our health.

Dried cranberries are found mainly in the northern hemisphere, and especially in the cooler parts of some countries situated over there. It is listed amongst the major crops in the United States. Dried cranberries are one of the highest selling food products in the global market, probably due to their numerous health benefits. But what exactly are the benefits of dried cranberries, and what is the nutritional composition of dried cranberries? That is just what we will talk about now.

Dried Cranberry Nutritional Value

As with other foods, most of the benefits of dried cranberries are derived from the nutritional content present in them. Cranberries are a good source of dietary fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.

Dried Cranberries
Nutrition	Quantity	Content
Calorie content	1 cup	125 cals
Protein content	100 g	0.06 g
Carbohydrate content	100 g	83 g
Dietary fiber content	100 g	6 g
Fat content	100 g	2.8 g
Phosphorus content	1 cup	9 mg
Magnesium content	1 cup	6 mg
Manganese content	1 cup	0.315 mg
Potassium content	1 cup	48 mg

Other minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium and copper are also present in small quantities. Moreover, vitamins such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A are also found in them. The standard measurement of one serving of dried sweetened cranberries as prescribed by the United States Department of Agriculture is about 40 - 42 grams, which fills around ⅓ a cup.

Health Benefits of Dried Cranberries

There are several benefits of dried cranberries, most of which you would find are similar to other cranberry types. Discussed below are some common benefits of dried cranberries.

• After extensive research, studies and observations, dried cranberries have been linked to health benefits such as strengthening the immune system, and battling against bacterial and viral infections.
• Dried cranberries also are beneficial to the cardiovascular system of our body.
• The most common benefit shared by dried cranberries along with other cranberries is that, consuming sufficient amount of dried cranberries helps in the treatment of urinary tract problems.
• The calcium content in dried cranberries helps in fighting against tooth decay, and thus contributes to very effective dental care.
• Dried cranberries contain a lot of vitamin C and antioxidants. These help decrease the effect of free radicals in our body, which in turn limits the development of cancer cells.
• Because it contains a high amount of dietary fiber, it helps in improving the digestive health.
• Since it is a good source of minerals and calcium, it helps strengthen the bones and the teeth.

Dried cranberries are a part of many recipes of most of the cuisines around the world. Therefore, apart from eating them in their original or dried form, you can also have them incorporated into any of your recipes and reap the several dried cranberries benefits. However, in the pursuit of gaining the benefits, eating them in sufficient but limited quantities is equally important!