Cranberry
Cranberries are sweet and tart fruit with bright red color. It’s popular for making many kinds of food such as cranberry juice, drink or even cranberry sauce. It not only gives a great taste to the food and drink but also gives many nutrients to the health.
Bioactive compounds
Cranberries are special fruits which not only have great taste but also health properties from many types of Bioactive compounds that will help protect the body from inflammation and also resist the oxidants. Bioactive compounds can be divided into 3 main types :
1. Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins is a color pigment that is mostly found in red fruit such as cranberries. It is a substance that has effects in resisting inflammation and oxidants.
2. Flavonoids
Flavonoids is yellow pigment that has effects in resisting inflammation that is found in cranberries. It plays the main role in adjusting the balance of the inflammation process of the body and reducing the risk of getting inflammation-related diseases.
3. Proanthocyanidins (PACs)
Proanthocyanidins (PACs) is a substance that causes astringent taste in the cranberries and it is a natural defense compound that aids in protecting the berries from insects and hunters. Beside that, PACs have an effect in bacteria resistance, causing benefits in preventing the infection of the urinary tract.
How is PACs from cranberries better?
Chemical structure of Proanthocyanidins (PACs) has 2 different types : A-linked proanthocyanidin and B-linked proanthocyanidin. PACs from cranberries is A-linked proanthocyanidin that is a very strong and stable structure with double bonds that connected to many places that cause PACs from cranberries will not be destroyed or deteriorated by the metabolism process that is caused in the body.
Source : Spectrum of Health Benefits for Cranberry Proanthocyanidins (PACs),CIMjournal