Cranberries are delicious berries that are also incredibly beneficial and rich in various vitamins. In ancient Rus, cranberries were highly valued for their healing properties. Sailors often stocked up on cranberries for their voyages, as they are known to be a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Additionally, cranberry juice is highly popular for its numerous health benefits. Here are some interesting facts about cranberries:

1. Indigenous Americans used cranberries as a staple food as early as 1550. 2. Cranberries are composed of nearly 90% water.

3. Cultivated varieties of cranberries have only been developed in the last 100 years, making them one of the most recently domesticated fruit crops.

4. Cranberries are low creeping shrubs or vines that can reach lengths of up to 2 meters and heights of 5 to 20 centimeters.

5. The harvesting season for cranberries typically starts in early September and continues until the end of October.

6. Cranberries thrive in extremely moist environments, such as swamps and wet lake shores. They are often found growing alongside blueberries. 7. Ripe cranberries will bounce if dropped on a hard surface.

8. Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin E, vitamin K, copper, and pantothenic acid. 9. Cranberries are also used in baking.

10. The Lenape Indians of New Jersey referred to cranberries as “Pakim,“ which means “bitter berry.“ They used this wild red fruit as part of their diet and as a symbol of peace and friendship. 11. Cranberries have been the official state berry of Massachusetts since 1994.

12. Scientific studies have shown that cranberries have anti-inflammatory properties and can help protect against stress and depression.

13. The botanical name for cranberries comes from the Greek words “oxis,“ meaning sharp or sour, and “coccus,“ meaning spherical. It literally translates to “sour sphere.“

14. If collecting cranberries that have been exposed to frost, it is best to store them frozen. 15. The first cranberry sauce was canned in 1912.

16. Cranberries are used in medicine to treat scurvy, sore throat, colds, urinary tract infections, rheumatism, and vitamin deficiencies.

17. Cranberries harvested in September are firm, but they soften and ripen during storage.

18. In 1964, the Soviet Union released a postage stamp featuring a vibrant red cranberry.

19. The birch tree and flowering cranberry adorn the coat of arms of the commune of Bezenburen in Switzerland.

20. Cranberry juice has often been used in film production as a substitute for blood since the 1980s.

21. Mature cranberries harvested after the onset of frost in autumn or early spring are used for medicinal purposes. Spring cranberries are tastier but have higher levels of citric acid and fewer vitamins compared to autumn cranberries.