Guest guest Posted May 19, 2008 Report Share Posted May 19, 2008 Rodney, I have seen raisins with hydrogenated fats added. I think that the reason for adding fat to some dried fruits is to keep them from sticking to each other. The hydrogenated fat does not turn rancid, so it extends shelf life. I remember that many years ago, prunes used to be tough like leather and you had to boil them to get them soft, but now they are pliable and chewy right out of the package. I have not seen prunes with added fats, though. Tony > > > Hi folks: > > It seems that cranberries are healthy, so when I saw some dried > cranberries in the 'most health-serious' food store around here, I > bought some to try them out. > > They taste excellent. So good in fact that it made me wonder what else > was in them besides just cranberries. I had expected them to be tart, > for example, and they weren't. So I enquired about the ingredient > list for the product. > > First ingredient is cranberries (phew!); but the second is hydrogenated > vegetable oil (explains the nice not-too-dry texture); the third sugar > (explains the lack of tartness); and the fourth was sulphites (not a big > deal, imo). > > Now this has me wondering about other dried fruits. Do they also > contain hydrogenated fats? Will they pretty soon be growing genetically > modified cranberries that already contain the extra sugar, sulphites and > hydrogenated vegetable oil, so they don't have to add them to the > ingredient list? > > Rodney. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Rodney According to Professor Corder's book " The Red Wine Diet " " ...very few dried cranberry products are the real deal. In 1979, food scientists developed the counter-current extraction technique, which allows the efficient extraction of juice from fruit. It can also be used to reinfuse other liquids back into the fruit residues. In the case of cranberries, the juice may be extracted using this method and the skins refilled with cranberry juice with added sugar or with other juices such as apple juice. It is very hard to identify a dried cranberry that still has all it natural juice and fruit acids. " Since cranberries have a very high beneficial procyanidin content that is different chemically from the procyanidins found in chocolate, wine and apples; last year I decided to include about 2 oz (65 grams) of raw cranberries in my daily smoothie. Unfortunately fresh cranberries are only available from October to December, so I bought 60+ bags last fall and froze them. I have been using them all winter-spring and I still have about 20 bags left. I am not sure I have enough to last till October. Someone told to me that Whole Foods sells frozen cranberries all year long, but I have not checked this out, and they are probably expensive. BTW, I recently bought some freeze-dried cranberries so I can bring pre-mixed dry smoothies with me when traveling. http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cranberries.htm I assume these freeze dried berries are not counter-current processed. This company has lots of other freeze dried berries, but they are not inexpensive! Let me know if you find a better source. For more procyanidin/cranberry information, I highly recommend Corder's book http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wine-Diet--Corder/dp/1583332901 See my review there. Ciao, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 I too used to store fresh cranberries in my freezer to have some all year long. But now pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice is available and that solves the problem. Ditto pomegranate juice . Although some processed foods are garbage, these (pure) juices make it easy to imbibe the healthy stuff all year long. > From: Saum <dsaum@...> > Reply-< > > Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 00:49:54 -0400 > < > > Subject: [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries > > Rodney > > According to Professor Corder's book " The Red Wine Diet " > > " ...very few dried cranberry products are the real deal. In 1979, food > scientists developed the counter-current extraction technique, which allows > the efficient extraction of juice from fruit. It can also be used to > reinfuse other liquids back into the fruit residues. In the case of > cranberries, the juice may be extracted using this method and the skins > refilled with cranberry juice with added sugar or with other juices such as > apple juice. It is very hard to identify a dried cranberry that still has > all it natural juice and fruit acids. " > > Since cranberries have a very high beneficial procyanidin content that is > different chemically from the procyanidins found in chocolate, wine and > apples; last year I decided to include about 2 oz (65 grams) of raw > cranberries in my daily smoothie. Unfortunately fresh cranberries are only > available from October to December, so I bought 60+ bags last fall and froze > them. I have been using them all winter-spring and I still have about 20 > bags left. I am not sure I have enough to last till October. Someone told > to me that Whole Foods sells frozen cranberries all year long, but I have > not checked this out, and they are probably expensive. > > BTW, I recently bought some freeze-dried cranberries so I can > bring pre-mixed dry smoothies with me when traveling. > http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cranberries.htm > I assume these freeze dried berries are not counter-current processed. > This company has lots of other freeze dried berries, but they are > not inexpensive! Let me know if you find a better source. > > For more procyanidin/cranberry information, I highly recommend Corder's book > http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wine-Diet--Corder/dp/1583332901 > See my review there. > > Ciao, > > Dave > > > ------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Hi: Thanks for those inputs. Do we know for sure that the key components we are trying to get from these fruits are not left behind in the skins when processed to extract the juice? There are large quantities of beneficial components in grape skins (many of which end up in the red wine, where fermentation is done with the skins, but not in white.) As a possible alternative I was wondering about cranberry sauce, which is essentially cranberry jam. All jams contain sugar, of course, which we would prefer to avoid. However the ingredient list for the cranberry sauce I checked says the following: cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup. This sounds preferable to hydrogenated vegetable oil, but perhaps not by a large margin. Another possible alternative might be to make cranberry jam from fresh or frozen cranberries with sucralose? I have never made jam, but since my great grandmother used to do it, it is unlikely to be high-tech or complicated. Does anyone have a sucralose-sweetened jam recipe they know from experience works well? Rodney. >> I too used to store fresh cranberries in my freezer to have some all year> long. But now pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice is available and that> solves the problem. Ditto pomegranate juice . Although some processed> foods are garbage, these (pure) juices make it easy to imbibe the healthy> stuff all year long.> > > > From: Saum dsaum@...> > Reply- > > Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 00:49:54 -0400> > > > Subject: [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries> > > > Rodney> > > > According to Professor Corder's book "The Red Wine Diet"> > > > "...very few dried cranberry products are the real deal. In 1979, food> > scientists developed the counter-current extraction technique, which allows> > the efficient extraction of juice from fruit. It can also be used to> > reinfuse other liquids back into the fruit residues. In the case of> > cranberries, the juice may be extracted using this method and the skins> > refilled with cranberry juice with added sugar or with other juices such as> > apple juice. It is very hard to identify a dried cranberry that still has> > all it natural juice and fruit acids."> > > > Since cranberries have a very high beneficial procyanidin content that is> > different chemically from the procyanidins found in chocolate, wine and> > apples; last year I decided to include about 2 oz (65 grams) of raw> > cranberries in my daily smoothie. Unfortunately fresh cranberries are only> > available from October to December, so I bought 60+ bags last fall and froze> > them. I have been using them all winter-spring and I still have about 20> > bags left. I am not sure I have enough to last till October. Someone told> > to me that Whole Foods sells frozen cranberries all year long, but I have> > not checked this out, and they are probably expensive.> > > > BTW, I recently bought some freeze-dried cranberries so I can> > bring pre-mixed dry smoothies with me when traveling.> > http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cranberries.htm> > I assume these freeze dried berries are not counter-current processed.> > This company has lots of other freeze dried berries, but they are> > not inexpensive! Let me know if you find a better source.> > > > For more procyanidin/cranberry information, I highly recommend Corder's book> > http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wine-Diet--Corder/dp/1583332901> > See my review there.> > > > Ciao,> > > > Dave > > > > > > ------------------------------------> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Rod: there is nothing easier to make than cranberry sauce. Just simmer 12 oz (a standard bag) of rinsed cranberries (til they pop) with a can of frozen unsweetened orange juice. There is no need to add any additional sweetener. A bit of lemon juice added to this gives it a nice tang but is not necessary. I never buy commercial cranberry sauce which doesn’t taste as good as the above in any case. From: Rodney <perspect1111@...> Reply-< > Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 13:35:52 -0000 < > Subject: [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries Hi: Thanks for those inputs. Do we know for sure that the key components we are trying to get from these fruits are not left behind in the skins when processed to extract the juice? There are large quantities of beneficial components in grape skins (many of which end up in the red wine, where fermentation is done with the skins, but not in white.) As a possible alternative I was wondering about cranberry sauce, which is essentially cranberry jam. All jams contain sugar, of course, which we would prefer to avoid. However the ingredient list for the cranberry sauce I checked says the following: cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup. This sounds preferable to hydrogenated vegetable oil, but perhaps not by a large margin. Another possible alternative might be to make cranberry jam from fresh or frozen cranberries with sucralose? I have never made jam, but since my great grandmother used to do it, it is unlikely to be high-tech or complicated. Does anyone have a sucralose-sweetened jam recipe they know from experience works well? Rodney. > > I too used to store fresh cranberries in my freezer to have some all year > long. But now pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice is available and that > solves the problem. Ditto pomegranate juice . Although some processed > foods are garbage, these (pure) juices make it easy to imbibe the healthy > stuff all year long. > > > > From: Saum dsaum@... > > Reply- > > Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 00:49:54 -0400 > > > > Subject: [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries > > > > Rodney > > > > According to Professor Corder's book " The Red Wine Diet " > > > > " ...very few dried cranberry products are the real deal. In 1979, food > > scientists dev! eloped the counter-current extraction technique, which allows > > the efficient extraction of juice from fruit. It can also be used to > > reinfuse other liquids back into the fruit residues. In the case of > > cranberries, the juice may be extracted using this method and the skins > > refilled with cranberry juice with added sugar or with other juices such as > > apple juice. It is very hard to identify a dried cranberry that still has > > all it natural juice and fruit acids. " > > > > Since cranberries have a very high beneficial procyanidin content that is > > different chemically from the procyanidins found in chocolate, wine and > > apples; last year I decided to include about 2 oz (65 grams) of raw > > cranberries in my daily smoothie. Unfortunately fresh cranberries are only > > available from October to December, so I bought 60+ bags last fall and froze > ! > them. I have been using them all winter-spring and I still have about 20 > > bags left. I am not sure I have enough to last till October. Someone told > > to me that Whole Foods sells frozen cranberries all year long, but I have > > not checked this out, and they are probably expensive. > > > > BTW, I recently bought some freeze-dried cranberries so I can > > bring pre-mixed dry smoothies with me when traveling. > > http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cranberries.htm > > I assume these freeze dried berries are not counter-current processed. > > This company has lots of other freeze dried berries, but they are > > not inexpensive! Let me know if you find a better source. > > > > For more procyanidin/cranberry information, I highly recommend Corder's book > > http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wine-Diet--Corder/dp/158! 3332901 > > See my review there. > > > > Ciao, > > > > Dave > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Hi Rodney, Every Thanksgiving I follow the recipe on the back of the bag of cranberries for cranberry sauce, only, instead of sugar, I add Splenda, and nobody knows the diff. Because its homemade, its a big hit compared to the canned stuff. Off season I get frozen cranberries from my local health food store, and for about $3.00 a bag, there are no added sugars or preservatives. Maybe you could start with that basic recipe and work from there. Rodney <perspect1111@...> wrote: Hi: Thanks for those inputs. Do we know for sure that the key components we are trying to get from these fruits are not left behind in the skins when processed to extract the juice? There are large quantities of beneficial components in grape skins (many of which end up in the red wine, where fermentation is done with the skins, but not in white.) As a possible alternative I was wondering about cranberry sauce, which is essentially cranberry jam. All jams contain sugar, of course, which we would prefer to avoid. However the ingredient list for the cranberry sauce I checked says the following: cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup. This sounds preferable to hydrogenated vegetable oil, but perhaps not by a large margin. Another possible alternative might be to make cranberry jam from fresh or frozen cranberries with sucralose? I have never made jam, but since my great grandmother used to do it, it is unlikely to be high-tech or complicated. Does anyone have a sucralose-sweetened jam recipe they know from experience works well? Rodney. >> I too used to store fresh cranberries in my freezer to have some all year> long. But now pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice is available and that> solves the problem. Ditto pomegranate juice . Although some processed> foods are garbage, these (pure) juices make it easy to imbibe the healthy> stuff all year long.> > > > From: Saum dsaum@...> > Reply- > > Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 00:49:54 -0400> > > > Subject: [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries> > > > Rodney> > > > According to Professor Corder's book "The Red Wine Diet"> > > > "...very few dried cranberry products are the real deal. In 1979, food> > scientists developed the counter-current extraction technique, which allows> > the efficient extraction of juice from fruit. It can also be used to> > reinfuse other liquids back into the fruit residues. In the case of> > cranberries, the juice may be extracted using this method and the skins> > refilled with cranberry juice with added sugar or with other juices such as> > apple juice. It is very hard to identify a dried cranberry that still has> > all it natural juice and fruit acids."> > > > Since cranberries have a very high beneficial procyanidin content that is> > different chemically from the procyanidins found in chocolate, wine and> > apples; last year I decided to include about 2 oz (65 grams) of raw> > cranberries in my daily smoothie. Unfortunately fresh cranberries are only> > available from October to December, so I bought 60+ bags last fall and froze> > them. I have been using them all winter-spring and I still have about 20> > bags left. I am not sure I have enough to last till October. Someone told> > to me that Whole Foods sells frozen cranberries all year long, but I have> > not checked this out, and they are probably expensive.> > > > BTW, I recently bought some freeze-dried cranberries so I can> > bring pre-mixed dry smoothies with me when traveling.> > http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/cranberries.htm> > I assume these freeze dried berries are not counter-current processed.> > This company has lots of other freeze dried berries, but they are> > not inexpensive! Let me know if you find a better source.> > > > For more procyanidin/cranberry information, I highly recommend Corder's book> > http://www.amazon.com/Red-Wine-Diet--Corder/dp/1583332901> > See my review there.> > > > Ciao,> > > > Dave > > > > > > ------------------------------------> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Several years ago I asked the cranberry people why the juice was red. They told me they cook the berries then extract the juice. You see, the " juice " should not be red, like apple juice is not red. They started marketing colorless juice - not what I wanted, but it gave them the idea. I just wanted to know for sure the red was not artificial. I think what I want is the red stuff, and the juice is along for the ride. I don't ascribe any value to the Cberry. The Craisnins are tasty but some people cannot tolerate the seeds in those, or raisins or strawberries or blueberries. I freeze them and put them in smoothees - tends to drop the seeds to the bottom. Regards [ ] Re: Dried Cranberries Hi: Thanks for those inputs. Do we know for sure that the key components we are trying to get from these fruits are not left behind in the skins when processed to extract the juice? There are large quantities of beneficial components in grape skins (many of which end up in the red wine, where fermentation is done with the skins, but not in white.) As a possible alternative I was wondering about cranberry sauce, which is essentially cranberry jam. All jams contain sugar, of course, which we would prefer to avoid. However the ingredient list for the cranberry sauce I checked says the following: cranberries, high fructose corn syrup, water, corn syrup. This sounds preferable to hydrogenated vegetable oil, but perhaps not by a large margin. Another possible alternative might be to make cranberry jam from fresh or frozen cranberries with sucralose? I have never made jam, but since my great grandmother used to do it, it is unlikely to be high-tech or complicated. Does anyone have a sucralose-sweetened jam recipe they know from experience works well? Rodney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 Francesca Yes unsweetened juices are great. I use Trader Joes pomegranate juice in my daily smoothie, and I may use TJs cranberry juice when I run out of frozen cranberries before Thanksgiving. However there are a three reasons I think the raw berries are probably better than juices in general: 1. HEAT tends to break down the beneficial procyanidin components. And it seems likely to me that there is some heating during the juice production process. 2. SKINS AND SEEDS are the main source of procyanidins in berry products. For instance, red wine has more procyanidins than white wine because there is more contact with the wine skins. Procyanidins are generally produced by plants to protect themselves from insects and mold, and they are concentrated in the skins and seeds where the protection is most needed. In nuts like pecans, walnuts and peanuts, the procyanidins are mostly in the dark seed coats. (Unfortunately, the main use of peanut skins in the USA is pig food!) This suggests that berry juices will generally have less procyanidins than the whole berries. 3. FILTERING generally reduces the procyanidin content of fruit juices, and this is particularly true of apple cider. Measurements have shown that only the murky unfiltered ciders have much higher procyanidin content, although whole apples are a major procyanidin source. It seems likely that other juices that are filtered have the same problem. I bet that most juice bottlers do some filtering to get rid of unsightly floating crud that is actually beneficial. All of this leads me to believe that raw berries are better than juices. Exactly how much better is hard to say, since the measurements are not available. Ciao, Dave. > > Rod: there is nothing easier to make than cranberry sauce. Just simmer 12 > oz (a standard bag) of rinsed cranberries (til they pop) with a can of > frozen unsweetened orange juice. There is no need to add any additional > sweetener. A bit of lemon juice added to this gives it a nice tang but is > not necessary. > > I never buy commercial cranberry sauce which doesn¹t taste as good as the > above in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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