Press Release

Study Suggests Possible Heart Health Benefits From Cranberries

Second Study Also Shows Cranberries are High in Antioxidants

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BW HealthWire)--March 30, 2001--Two studies presented at Experimental Biology 2001 suggest that the consumption of cranberries and cranberry juice may have health benefits that go beyond maintaining a healthy urinary tract.

According to a study presented at the conference titled ``Effects of Cranberry Juice Consumption on Platelet Aggregation'' from Ted Wilson, Ph.D., at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, drinking cranberry juice may have heart health benefits. ``This study suggests that cranberry juice consumption may inhibit blood clotting in vivo and that cranberry juice may provide the body with compounds that are beneficial for reducing coronary heart disease risk,'' Wilson wrote in his abstract for Experimental Biology 2001.

In another preliminary study presented at the conference titled ``Cranberry: A Fruit with an Unusually Rich Source of Antioxidants'' by Joe Vinson, Ph.D., from the University of Scranton, cranberries, compared to other fruits, appear to have a high level of antioxidants. According to the methodology used by Vinson, cranberry had the highest polyphenols and free phenols on a fresh weight basis compared to 20 other fruits. Polyphenols and free phenols are antioxidants.

``These two preliminary studies show a lot of promise,'' said Jere Downing, Executive Director of the Cranberry Institute. ``They suggest that cranberry juice may provide the body with compounds that help maintain cardiovascular health. We need to do more research, but the potential benefits are exciting to consider.''

The Cranberry Institute and the Wisconsin Cranberry Board funded the Vinson study. The Wisconsin Cranberry Board funded the Wilson study.

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology manages Experimental Biology 2001. The conference, which is being held in Orlando, Fla., from March 31 to April 4, is attended by more than 15,000 scientists. Conference participants include The American Physiological Society, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. The Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology is the largest coalition of biomedical associations in the United States.

The Cranberry Institute is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1951 to further the success of U.S. and Canadian cranberry growers through research and education. For more information, go to www.cranberryinstitute.org.

     James Harder
     BSMG Worldwide
     617-369-9200

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