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蔓越莓 (Cranberry)
蔓越莓 (Cranberry),又稱蔓越橘、小紅莓、又常有人以為他是越橘亞屬,所以直接稱為越橘,但蔓越莓是杜鵑花科越橘屬紅莓苔子亞屬(學名:Oxycoccos),又名毛蒿豆亞屬的俗稱,此亞屬的物種均為常綠灌木,主要生長在北半球的清涼地帶酸性泥炭土壤中。花深粉紅色,總狀花序。紅色漿果可做水果食用。 目前在北美的一些地區被大量種植,收穫的果實用來做成果汁、果醬等。蔓越莓醬(cranberry sauce)是美國感恩節主菜火雞的傳統配料。因為蔓越莓本身的酸味較強,作為飲料的果汁內一般兌有糖漿或蘋果汁等較甜的成分。 近年來的研究發現,蔓越莓富含抗氧化的多酚類物質,適當服用有增強免疫系統、防止泌尿感染的作用。 蔓越莓繁殖方式是透過藤蔓的移動來著床繁殖,這藤蔓在頭幾個星期要經常澆水,直到根系發育良好為止。 第一年需要在土壤中頻繁且少量地施用氮肥。 一般對蔓越莓最常見的誤解是認為蔓越莓的苗床週遭應該一整年都泡在水中,正確的作法是在蔓越莓生長季節裡苗床週遭不要泡在水中(淹水),但是要有規律的灌溉,保持土壤的濕潤。苗床週遭充滿水是要讓蔓越莓在秋季採收時方便採收和在冬季來臨時免受寒害。在寒冷的季節裡就像美國威斯康辛州、麻薩諸塞州以及加拿大東部一樣,冬季結冰時洪水變成冰,而在冰內部溫暖的水仍然是液體。 |
蔓越莓汁是由蔓越莓果肉榨出的果汁。商家在銷售時很少會銷售純果汁,因為純果汁並不美味,其味道感覺先酸後澀,而且也有成本考量。一般來說,蔓越莓汁會以「酸果蔓雞尾酒」(cranberry juice cocktail)銷售,這種飲料加入了蔗糖或是甜味劑(如阿斯巴甜或三氯蔗糖),或者是與蘋果汁及葡萄汁混合,有時也加入其他果汁和調味劑。
蔓越莓汁的益處 (以下健康醫學資訊只供參考。任何醫學問題應諮詢專業醫護人員。) 在醫學上,蔓越莓汁已被證實可有效降低心血管疾病、牙周病、胃潰瘍與癌症等疾病的罹患風險;其富含草酸鹽,以前人們認為其能增加腎結石的患病率,但現在研究表明蔓越莓汁可以降低腎結石的患病風險。時常飲用蔓越莓汁,能使存在尿液及泌尿道中的大腸桿菌鞭毛無法發揮作用,使其不易附著在尿道管壁上、使尿道環境較不利於細菌生長,進而預防泌尿道感染疾病,不過蔓越莓汁對無鞭毛的大腸桿菌是沒有作用的。蔓越莓汁也是天然的利尿劑,可用來緩解月經腫痛。 健康問題 雖然蔓越莓汁能抑制細菌繁殖,但其酸性很大,pH達到2.3-2.52,酸性超過大部分軟性飲料,會使牙釉質很快溶解。 |
蔓越莓 (Cranberry)是一種小小紅紅的果子,世界上只有加拿大 (魁北克、安大略及英屬哥倫比亞三省),美國北部(麻薩諸塞、威斯康辛、新澤西、奧瑞岡、華盛頓等五州),以及南 美的智利有條件生產這種小紅果子。因為只有這些地區有適合蔓越莓生長的高酸性沙土和寒冷的濕地。
全球產區不到4萬英畝而且大都集中在北美, 因此有「北美的紅寶石」之稱。 採收蔓越莓 泡在水裡的蔓越莓有一種獨特的收成方式「水收」法,蔓越莓果實本身是有空氣,因此能浮在水中,「水收」就是利用蔓越莓此一特性來採收。果農先將蔓越莓田注滿水,然後用打水車打擊水面,或使用Retracto-tooth Picker 工具使蔓越莓果實和藤蔓分離,使蔓越莓浮出水面。等一顆顆蔓越莓都浮出水面就可大量的收集。 蔓越莓採收完畢後,會將田裡的水給引出天寒地凍中的蔓越莓果樹等到天寒地凍時再將蔓越莓田再注滿水大自然的寒冷會將上方的水結冰等冰層結得夠厚的時候,再將下方沒有結冰的水給放掉,如此一來就成了蔓越莓樹叢的保護層了,因為地球自然的會有地熱來保暖而上方結冰,沒有冷空氣可以再進入因此蔓越莓樹可以活久。 蔓越莓的助益 蔓越莓對人體預防膀胱炎和尿道感染有助益。專家建議一天喝1–2杯的蔓越莓汁 (cranberry juice),將可減少尿道陰道方面的細菌感染風險。若是已得尿道感染疾病,除了吃抗生素外,每天再喝250-350cc的蔓越莓汁,將有改善病情的效果。超市賣的蔓越莓汁,除了本身的醣份外還額外添加糖,所以有糖尿病的朋友可不要喝太多。 泌尿道感染主要原因包括大腸桿菌E.coli、假單胞菌Pseudomonas、變形桿菌Proteus。大腸桿菌的線毛會黏附在泌尿道壁上是感染主因! 蔓越莓有預防尿道炎、膀胱炎的功效 蔓越莓還可有效抑制幽門螺旋桿菌附著於腸胃內。(幽門螺旋桿菌是導致胃潰瘍甚至胃癌發生 的主因) 蔓越莓也具有很強的抗氧化作用可降低動脈硬化對人體所造成身體傷害,還具有預防心血管疾病的功能。 生化學家發現,蔓越莓會使存在尿液及泌尿道中的細菌不易附著在尿道管壁上,使引發泌尿道感染的 細菌會比較容易隨尿液被排出體外;另外,蔓越莓具有酸化尿液的作用,會使泌尿道變成比 較不利於細 菌滋長的環境。蔓越莓汁中的濃縮單寧酸能夠抑制大腸桿菌E.coli黏附上泌尿道細胞的能力。 美國藥典記載: 〝蔓越莓是對付膀胱炎,尿道感染有效的輔助品〞1998年10月8日出版的權威醫學期刊新英格蘭醫誌New England Journal of Medicine期刊指出:〝蔓越莓含有濃縮型單寧酸,這種成份可以防止大腸桿菌附著在尿道襯裡的表皮細胞層,如此一來,大腸桿菌就無法進入尿道和膀胱中作怪了。研究人員建議,每天喝350cc以上蔓越莓果汁或服用二顆濃縮型蔓越莓膠囊就有預防尿道炎,膀胱炎的功效。 對胃潰瘍與心血管疾病也有效果 • 2001年6月29日發表於大英醫學期刊的最新芬蘭研究:蔓越莓這種天然又方便的食品可以降低 泌尿道感染的痛苦及復發風險並減少抗生素的使用量。 •2000年9月11日芬蘭研究:蔓越莓對付婦女泌尿道感染比優酪乳好。 •2000年4月5日出版的權威醫學期刊(美國醫學會 期刊JAMA)的最新研究報告指出:蔓越莓的抗菌功效值得肯定。 •2001年6月份在美國的泌尿科學會中,研究人員發表一篇由150位曾經感染泌尿道的女性進行第一個雙盲試驗。結果發現不管是喝蔓越莓汁或是吃蔓越莓濃縮膠囊者,都比起吃糖果藥丸者得到改善程度要高。 對預防老年癡呆症的效果 美國化學會出版的〝Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry〞2001年11月的一篇論文由美國Scranton 大學的Joe A.Vinson博士的研究指出,蔓越莓含有非常高含量的生物黃酮,它們是一種非常強力的抗自由基物質,由Vinson博士的研究比較了美國常見的20多種天然蔬果,結果發現了蔓越莓所 含的生物黃酮量最高,由於生物黃酮的對抗自由基效果,它可能對於預防心血管老化病變,癌症的發生與進展,老年癡呆,皮膚老化等具有很好的效果。 蔓越莓吃多可能會造成瀉肚子,或可能造成尿路結石,因為尿中草酸排泄增加及Ph值降低。 |
Cape Cast : Wet cranberry harvest!
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Cranberry picking, Acushnet, Massachusetts 2008
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What's New and Beneficial About Cranberries
● For many years, researchers believed that the ability of cranberries and cranberry juice to help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) was partly related to the strong acidity of the cranberries. Recent research has shown that it's not the acidity of the cranberries, but the unusual nature of their proanthocyanidins (PACs) that is related to prevention of UTIs. The special structure of these PACs (involving A-type linkages between their components) acts as a barrier to bacteria that might otherwise latch on to the urinary tract lining. In many studies, the UTI-preventing benefits of cranberries are somewhat modest and limited to women who have recurrent UTIs. But this whole area of investigation has opened the door to an understanding of other possible cranberry benefits. For example, stomach ulcers are often related to overgrowth and over-linking of one particular type of stomach bacteria (Helicobacter pylori) to the stomach lining. In much the same way as cranberries may help prevent bacterial attachment to the lining of the urinary tract, they may also help prevent attachment of bacteria to the stomach lining. There is already some preliminary evidence that cranberry may help protect us from stomach ulcer in this way. We expect to see future studies confirming this fascinating type of health benefit. ● Many cranberries are water-harvested. Water-harvesting means that the cranberries are grown in bogs and floated in water to allow for easy harvesting. For many years, water-harvesting of cranberries has been looked upon as an industry convenience. It's simply easier to harvest berries that are floating on the surface. However, recent research has shown that the anthocyanin content of cranberries (the phytonutrients that give the berries their amazing red color) is increased in direct proportion to the amount of natural sunlight striking the berry. If berries floating on top of water get exposed to increased amounts of natural sunlight (in comparison to other growing and harvesting conditions), they are likely to develop greater concentrations of anthocyanins. These greater concentrations of anthocyanins are likely to provide us with stronger health benefits. In other words, water-harvesting may turn out to provide more than just harvest convenience. If it can expose cranberries to greater amounts of natural sunlight, it can increase phytonutrient health benefits that involve the unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of anthocyanins. ● A substantial number of recent studies have shown that whole cranberries consumed in dietary form—in comparison with purified cranberry extracts consumed in either liquid or dried supplement form—do a better job of protecting our cardiovascular system and our liver. Several groups of researchers have summarized their health benefit findings by pointing out that it is the synergy among cranberry nutrients (rather than individual cranberry components) that is responsible for cranberry's health benefits. This synergy is only found in the whole berry as consumed in food form. This rule about whole dietary intake appears to apply to the antioxidant benefits, anti-inflammatory benefits, and anti-cancer benefits of cranberry. ● Over the past 5 years, scientists have identified an increasing number of mechanisms that help explain the anti-cancer properties of cranberries. These mechanisms are now known to include: blocked expression of MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases); inhibition of ODC (ornithine decarboxylase enzymes); stimulation of QRs (quinone reductase enzymes); inhibition of CYP2C9s (Phase I detoxification enzymes); and triggering of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumor cells. The cancer-preventive benefits of cranberries are now known to extend to cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate. |