Cranberry is one of my fave Thanksgiving dishes. But did you know that just one slice of Ocean Spray cranberry jelly or ¼ cup of cranberry sauce contains 24 grams of sugar? That’s 6 sugar packets!
So this year, I’m choosing not to mask the cranberry with loads of sugar. Here are 10 reasons to bring back the cranberries!
- Contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties, protecting our bodies from harmful agents called free radicals.
- High in vitamin C and salicylic acid, an ingredient in aspirin, which helps in reducing swelling, prevents blood clots and has anti-tumor effects.
- Contains proanthocyanidins, a chemical compound that prevents harmful bacteria from clinging to the walls of the bladder. Helps control urinary tract infections.
- Proanthocyanidins also prevent harmful bacteria from clinging to the teeth, reducing the risk of dental cavities. (WATCH OUT! This isn’t the case with cranberry juices found in most grocery stores, where the sugar content is sky high!)
- Aids in reducing the risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis.
- Its calcium content keeps our bones and teeth looking sharp and feeling strong!
This cranberry sauce is sweetened with fresh pears, oranges, and pure unfiltered honey. Although these ingredients contain sugar, these sweets also add to the array of vitamins and minerals found in cranberries! Dig in…but always in moderation!
Ingredients:
- 2 bartlett pears, de-stemmed, de-pitted
- 1 orange
- 2 tbs raw, unfiltered honey
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions:
- Zest the orange and place the zest into a blender. Slice the oranges and cut out the inner fruit and throw that into the blender. In other words, use the orange parts of the fruit and leave the white part out. (The white, although fibrous, is sour while the rest of the fruit is sweet.)
- Add the pears and honey into the blender and pulse until fully puréed (no chunks!).
- Transfer the purée into a medium-sized pan and throw in the cranberries. Bring to a boil.
- Once the bubbles arise, begin stirring. You’ll notice the cranberries starting to crack and the red hue fusing out. It’s OK to have some cranberry chunks in there–that’s the best part!
I had my colleagues sample the cranberry sauce and they’ve approved it as a side for your Thanksgiving dinner!
