Industry funded study of the week: cranberries
The study: Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial. Christian Heiss, et al. Food & Function. 2022;7. DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO00080F
Objective: To investigate the vascular effects of acute and daily consumption of freeze dried whole cranberry in healthy men and how effects relate to circulating cranberry (poly)phenol metabolites.
Methods: A double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 45 healthy male adults randomly allocated to 1 month daily consumption of either cranberry (9 g powder solubilized in water equivalent to 100 g of fresh cranberries, 525 mg total (poly)phenols) or control (9 g powder, no (poly)phenols).
Results: Cranberry consumption significantly increased FMD [flow-mediated dilation].
Conclusions: Acute and daily consumption of whole cranberry powder for 1 month improves vascular function in healthy men and this is linked with specific metabolite profiles in plasma.
Funding: This study was funded by the Cranberry Institute and by the Research Committee of the Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University Dusseldorf (grant number 9772574). The authors also acknowledge a Susanne Bunnenberg Heart Foundation grant to Dusseldorf Heart Centre.
Comment: I like cranberries. Of course I consider them healthy to eat. All fruits have health benefits.
But cranberry powder?
And cranberries are tart,; they need sugar. Ocean Spray’s cranberry sauce recipe calls for one cup of sugar added to 12 ounces of cranberries.
Moderation, please!