https://nordictimes.com/health/the-overlooked-health-benefits-of-cranberries/

Health

The overlooked health benefits of cranberries

Published 3 February 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Andrew Curtis/ CC BY-SA 2.0

Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, support good bacteria, and are known for aiding urinary tract health. Though often overlooked, they grow across most of Sweden and the northern hemisphere, making them more common than many realize.

Most people are familiar with cranberries and have probably tasted juice made from them, perhaps in a drink. Many people probably don’t think of cranberries when it’s time to pick them, but they are actually more common than you might think. Cranberries grow in bogs across much of Sweden, although they are less common on Öland and in the mountains.

Sweeter after frost

Cranberries thrive in moist soil and often grow on bogs. They persist over winter and can therefore be harvested for most of the year, with a harvest season that extends from September to March. Like rowan berries, they are tastier after being frost-bitten, as they otherwise have a more bitter taste. In spring, the berries also become slightly sweeter.

The berries grow close to the ground and are about the same size as American blueberries. There is also a species called the dwarf cranberry, which is sometimes considered a subspecies of cranberry. The two species are nutritionally similar, so it doesn’t matter if you pick the wrong one, according to Skogsskafferiet.

Health

Girls and women suffering from urinary tract infections (UTIs) have probably heard that cranberry juice can help, and it is a popular option that many women use successfully to prevent the infection.

A Finnish study had women with an increased susceptibility to UTIs drink cranberry and lingonberry juice daily to see if infections were reduced. The results showed an average reduction in UTIs of 20%. Cranberries and lingonberries are related and contain similar substances, such as pectin and vitamin C.

A meta-analysis published in 2024, which reviewed 20 studies on the topic, found that 18 of them linked cranberry juice to a 54% lower rate of UTIs compared to no treatment. In addition, cranberry juice use resulted in 59% lower antibiotic use. The conclusion was that cranberry juice can be an effective way to prevent UTIs while reducing the need for antibiotics, which is particularly important in the fight against increasing antibiotic resistance.

UTIs are caused by bacteria and mainly affect women and girls; there are indications that they can be caused by bacteria from both the gut and the vagina. A 2021 study investigated whether cranberries could alter the bacterial flora of both the gut and the vagina. The results showed that consuming cranberries increased the presence of beneficial bacteria and reduced some less beneficial bacteria. However, for the best effect, cranberry juice should be drunk unsweetened, as sugar can raise the pH and increase the risk of UTIs.

Cranberry juice in particular is said to contain some vitamins C and E, as well as magnesium and potassium, according to the medical website WebbMD. Furthermore, cranberries, like many other berries, also contain anthocyanins, which are a strong antioxidant. Since these antioxidants are mainly found in the peel, less of it is found in juice. The berry also contains the flavenoid myricetin, which is supposed to contain antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory components.

Note that you should not eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice if you are taking the blood-thinning drug Waran because substances in the berries counteract the effect of the drug.

Using the berries

Cranberries are similar in taste to lingonberries and are therefore best used in a similar way. They are ideal for making jams, jellies or juices, and thanks to their high content of benzoic acid, no additional preservatives are needed. During Thanksgiving, celebrated in Canada and the United States, cranberry sauce is a traditional part of the turkey dinner, similar to how lingonberry jam is used in Sweden.

Cranberries can be dried and mixed into muesli, for example. They can also be frozen just as they are.

For those who want to use cranberries in their diet for health reasons, such as preventing urinary tract infections, it is best to eat them plain or make an unsweetened drink. Cranberry drinks without sugar can be tart, but are much better for your body. Other tips include adding cranberries to smoothies, porridge or bread baking for a healthy and tasty variety.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/chilli-easy-to-grow-and-packed-with-vitamin-c/

Health

Chilli: easy to grow and packed with vitamin C

Published 15 February 2025

– By Editorial Staff

In addition to being a great spice in food, chilli is also healthy in many ways, as it is high in vitamin C and potassium. The chili pepper takes a long time to grow but is relatively easy to sow and grow at home on the windowsill, and it does not require a garden to succeed with the harvest. For the avid grower, now is the time to start sowing chilies to get a harvest in early fall.

Some believe that humans have been eating chilies since 7500 BC, and archaeological finds in southwestern Ecuador show that chilies were cultivated more than 6000 years ago. Christopher Columbus is said to have been one of the first Europeans to discover chillies in the West Indies and he also gave them the name “pepper” because of their taste. It is the fat-soluble substance capsaicin that gives the chili its heat, which is the substance found in pepper sprays, for example.

Choose the right variety – hot or mild

There are lots of different types of chili with different degrees of heat. For those who do not like spicy food, there are chili varieties that are very mild and taste more like peppers, which, incidentally, are sorted under the same genus as chili but lack the capsaicin that gives heat in the fruit. The strength is measured in scoville degrees where you can measure the heat from 0 and up. The hottest chili, according to Guinness World Records, is Pepper X, which is over one million scoville degrees. A tip for the inexperienced chili eater is to start mildly and slowly test your way between different strengths. If you have happened to grow too strong chili, you can try to remove the fruit’s seed coat and middle walls, which is where most of the capsaicin is located.

Packed with goodness

Chilli is high in vitamin C, potassium and beta-carotene. There is also a fair amount of vitamin A, phosphorus, folate and magnesium. Some people believe that capsaicin can suppress appetite if you eat some chili before meals. It is also thought to promote healthy gut bacteria. Capsaicin can also have an analgesic effect on the skin and is found in some plasters, for example. Some believe that it can therefore also work well as a painkiller for arthritis, shingles and even for ordinary headaches. Previous studies have shown that chili can also have a blood pressure-lowering effect and that those who eat chili 3-7 times a week have a 14% lower risk of dying prematurely.

Grow your own chili

In principle, chilies can be sown all year round, but many recommend starting as early as January or February. One tip is to first soak the seeds for about 24 hours to facilitate germination. Then, plant one to three seeds in a small pot of seed soil about 0.5 centimeters down. The soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. Initially, you can place the seedlings on the bathroom floor, for example, or over the fridge where there is a little extra warmth, but you can also place them on the windowsill. For extra help, you can use a heating plate. Cover the seed with plastic film or a lid. Keep the seedling moist with a spray bottle at the beginning and water from below.

When the so-called heart leaves, i.e. the very first leaves, appear, you can remove the plastic film from the pot and, if it is not already there, place the pot on the windowsill, as the plant then wants light. Plant lighting can be beneficial to help the plant grow. Once the first character leaves have appeared, i.e. the real chili leaves, it is time to replant the plant in potting soil. As the plant grows, it should be replanted about three to four times before it goes into the final pot. The size of the final pot depends on the type of chili you have chosen, but many varieties can thrive in a one-liter pot.

Take good care of the plant

When the plant has grown to about 30-40 centimeters, you can move it out into the greenhouse, but otherwise you can leave it in the window. If you want to grow chillies outside, you must first get them used to the colder air and direct sunlight. When the daytime temperature is above 20 degrees, the plant can be put out completely for the season. The soil should be kept moist, but can also mold easily if it gets too wet. Watering about every other day is usually beneficial. Feel free to feed the plant about three times a week, there is special chili nutrition you can buy or you can make your own from eggshells, among other things. Let the fruits ripen on the plant, but you can also take them when they are green and eat them. Don’t forget to save some seeds to plant for next year.

Uses

Besides being a flavoring agent in most dishes, chili has many other uses. For example, it’s also great for flavoring chocolate or chocolate pastries. If you make your own ginger shot, you can add a little chili for an extra boost in the drink, which helps prevent colds. Also try adding some to your smoothie.

Cheese and chili go well together and it is recommended to make your own chili cheese for Friday snacks. Hot sandwiches with a little chili, cheese and tomato can also be a good change.

Chili can be dried for your own chili seasoning, but can also be frozen. One tip is to chop it up and store it in small jars, so you can pick out a little at a time and put it in your food. It is also good to add chili or make marmalade.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/tuna-to-be-made-less-toxic-with-new-packaging-method/

Health

Tuna to be made less toxic with new packaging method

Published 10 February 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: CanStockPhoto/Whitepointer

Tuna's high mercury levels have negative health effects for humans.

A new packaging containing the amino acid cysteine can reduce mercury levels in tuna, according to researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. In the study, levels of the toxic substance dropped by up to 35%.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mercury is one of the ten most dangerous chemicals for humans. Seafood often contains mercury, and predatory fish such as tuna have particularly high levels. Exposure can damage the central nervous system, where children and fetuses are particularly vulnerable.

The Chalmers researchers investigated whether mercury levels in fish could be reduced by using “active packaging”. This means that the packaging material, such as a liquid in a can, interacts with the food. The technique has been used in the past to extend shelf life, but never to improve food safety.

Binding amino acid

In a previous study, researchers tested coating the inside of packaging with a layer of thiolated silica, a material with sulfur groups that bind strongly to mercury. However, the experiments failed because the mercury was too tightly bound in the fish tissue. So the researchers decided to add the amino acid cysteine instead.

– Knowing this, we decided to add an amino acid, cysteine, to an aqueous solution in which the fish meat can be stored. Our theory was that this would cause some of the mercury to be released from the meat and instead be bound in the solution and discarded. Further research on how to deal with the removed mercury is required in the future, says Przemysław Strachowski, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers at the time of the study, in a press release.

No extra production steps would be required with the new method. Photo: Towfiqu barbhuiya/Pexels

Reduced by 35 percent

The study, published in Global Challenges, shows that the amount of mercury removed increased as the surface area of the fish meat in contact with the cysteine solution increased. When the researchers tested ground tuna meat from ordinary cans, levels fell by 35%.

– The beauty of this type of packaging is that it is active while the product is on the shelf. No extra production steps would be needed if a method like this was used industrially, and the application of our results could increase the safety margin for fish consumption, says Strachowski.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/six-fold-increase-in-autism-diagnoses-among-swedish-girls/

Health

Six-fold increase in autism diagnoses among Swedish girls

Published 1 February 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Enrico Perini/Pexels

There are several theories as to why autism diagnoses have increased so exceptionally over the last 15 years.

Autism diagnoses are increasing significantly among girls, according to a survey by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Since 2010, the number of diagnoses has increased sixfold for girls aged 10-17 years.

Last year, around 155,000 people aged 2-64 had an autism diagnosis, representing 2% of the population. The number of people diagnosed has increased in all age groups and among both sexes over the past decade.

However, the increase has been greatest among girls, according to the survey. Since 2010, the number of diagnoses for girls aged 10-17 has increased sixfold.

Previously, it was perceived that young boys in particular were diagnosed more often than girls. Now, boys and girls are diagnosed with autism in equal proportions, and in some cases more often in girls.

Many hypotheses

According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, one possible explanation may be that girls have previously been under-diagnosed, as they often have a different symptom picture than boys. Increased knowledge of gender differences in diagnosis would also explain why more girls are now being diagnosed with autism, it says.

– Girls and women may have different symptoms than boys and may also be able to cope better with their difficulties. The degree of disability may also play a role, where those who receive an early diagnosis may have more severe symptoms, says Peter Salmi, project manager for the survey in a press release.

Others, such as Christopher Gillberg, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry, have pointed out that there is a risk that children and young people are overdiagnosed and argued that today fewer symptoms are required for an autism diagnosis to be made than in the past.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/chemical-levels-vary-widely-among-swedish-youth/

Health

Chemical levels vary widely among Swedish youth

Published 27 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: RDNE Stock project/Pexels

Chemicals are found in products such as makeup and skincare.

Levels of chemicals in Swedish youth vary widely, according to a doctoral thesis from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Factors such as gender, place of birth and place of residence have a major impact on levels.

Chemicals are becoming increasingly common in our environment and accumulate in the human body through constant exposure. Despite their ubiquity, knowledge of their health effects is still limited.

In his doctoral thesis, Sebastian Pineda investigated chemical levels in Swedish adolescents, their exposure to these substances and potential health risks. The samples were collected via the Swedish National Food Agency’s project Riksmaten Ungdom.

Pineda’s research focused on long-lived chemicals that can stay in the body for years, including harmful metals and organic pollutants such as chlorinated, brominated or fluorinated substances, such as PFAS chemicals. He also studied short-lived chemicals that leave the body quickly but are found in everyday products such as makeup, skincare and plastics.

Country of birth can influence

The results show that Swedish adolescents are exposed to a “chemical cocktail” similar to that observed in other highly industrialized countries, such as the United States. However, factors such as gender and place of birth play a crucial role in the levels of different substances.

Young people born in Sweden or other industrialized countries had higher levels of persistent chemicals compared to young people born in developing countries.

– More surprisingly, country of birth also had a clear impact on levels of substances that are excreted from the body quite quickly. However, in our data, there is no information on possible sources of exposure that could help us explain this, said Pineda in a press release.

At the same time, some exceptions were noted, such as a breakdown product of DDT and a component of lindane – two insecticides banned in Sweden. Young people born in developing countries had significantly higher levels of these substances compared to Swedish adolescents.

Different for girls and boys

The study revealed clear gender differences. For example, boys had higher levels of chromium, mercury and lead than girls. One possible explanation is that boys generally eat larger amounts of food and thus ingest more metals. Another explanation could be that older girls lose some chemicals through menstrual blood.

Girls generally had higher levels of chemicals found in makeup and skincare products, as well as higher levels of cadmium. In addition, the results showed that exposure to certain substances differs between northern and southern Sweden.

– Levels of these flame retardants and plastic chemicals were higher in young people in the north. We suspect that this is related to living conditions, as we know that the indoor environment is an important pathway for these substances, says Sebastian Pineda.

Chemical mixtures and the immune system

Pineda and his colleagues also investigated the potential impact of chemical mixtures on the immune system of adolescents in the context of vaccination. The study analyzed the link between exposure and antibody levels in the blood after vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP), and measles and rubella (MR). However, the associations were considered weak and uncertain.

– The mixture exposures did not seem to be high enough to have a clear impact on the levels of antibodies against DTP and MMR, but my thesis is only a first investigation of possible chemical mixture effects on the complex immune system in adolescents, says Pineda.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Polaris of Enlightenment

Polaris of Enlightenment