Study Finds Cranberry may be a Superior Antioxidant Source.

A study conducted at the University of Scranton and published online by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on June 18 found that Cranberries may provide an excellent source of high-quality dietary antioxidants.Ten subjects fasted overnight before consuming 240 ml of a juice drink containing high fructose corn syrup and ascorbate, with or without cranberry juice antioxidants. Plasma antioxidant capacity, glucose, triglycerides, and ascorbate were measured 6 times over 7 hours after consumption of the juice drink. The control group was found to have a slightly decreased plasma antioxidant capacity for each time period, suggesting oxidative stress in spite of the inclusion of ascorbate in the juice drink. The cranberry juice antioxidant group was found to have an increase in plasma antioxidant capacity that was significantly greater than the control for each time period. Postprandial triglycerides, due to fructose in the beverages, were mainly responsible for the oxidative stress and significantly correlated with oxidative stress as measured by the antioxidant capacity. Researchers concluded that cranberry consumption may be an excellent source of high quality antioxidants and deserved further study