Cranberry

Selection Information

Usage: Cooking, sauces, baking, stuffing, glazes or added to liqueurs.

Selection: Good quality cranberries will be firm, and a dark red coloring. They are fairly sturdy and require no special handling other than do not store them wet.

Avoid: Avoid cranberries that are wrinkled, soft or leaking juice.

Storage: Cranberries sealed in a plastic bag can be kept for up to two months in your refrigerator. Cooked Cranberries can be stored for as long as a month in your refrigerator if kept sealed. You can also freeze washed Cranberries for long-term storage.

Seasonal Information

Cranberries are available late September through October from Washington and Oregon.

Cranberry Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 110g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 51	Calories from Fat 1
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g	4%
Dietary Fiber 5g	20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 1%	Vitamin C 24%
Calcium 1%	Iron 2%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Source: PMA's Labeling Facts

Cranberries are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) and Vitamin K, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Cranberry Tips & Trivia

Since cranberries are very seasonal, it is helpful to know that they can be frozen. For example, buy an extra bag or two during Thanksgiving and freeze them if you like to make your own cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner. Do not thaw frozen cranberries. Simply rinse with cold water and use immediately after removing them from the freezer. Frozen berries are best in glazes and sauces.
Cranberry sauce was an invention of American Indians who cooked cranberries with honey or maple sugar, to eat with their meat. The plant is native to peat and bog areas of northern latitudes around the globe. American berries are unique for their large size and commercial production is confined to North America.

Cranberry Taxonomy

Scientific Binomial Names:

Common Cranberry or Northern Cranberry - Vaccinium oxycoccos or Oxycoccos palustris

Small Cranberry - Vaccinium microcarpum or Oxycoccos microcarpus

Bearberry, Large cranberry, American Cranberry - Vaccinium macrocarpon or Oxycoccos macrocarpus

Subgenus Oxycoccos, sect. Oxycoccoides:

Vaccinium erythrocarpum or Oxycoccos erythrocarpus