Photo by Bruce Foster.

Tis’ the season for giving thanks, huddling around an open fire and feasting with friends and family. This Thanksgiving, when you’re going back for more turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, don’t forget the cranberry sauce or relish–the tangy side will cut through all those deliciously rich foods.

Cranberries, like many other colorful fruits and veggies, are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants have gained celebrity status among health experts for their anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.

Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, vitamin K and have some great medicinal properties including the following:

• Cranberries increase urinary levels of an anti-bacterial acid called hippuric acid that inhibits the adherence of E. coli to the mucosal lining of the urinary tract and prevents or treats painful urinary tract infections (UTI). Note: do not drink cranberry juice that contains sugar when trying to prevent a UTI, as the sugar will feed the bacteria and allow the infection to flourish. Cranberry capsules or unsweetened juice works best. Due to its intense tart flavor, unsweetened cranberry juice is hard to drink for many, so I recommend diluting it with water when drinking for UTI prevention. Of course, consult with your doctor if you are experiencing pain with urination or blood in your urine.

• Contain proanthocyanadins which help to prevent plaque formation on teeth.

• Cranberries proanthocyanadins have been found to prevent cancer by blocking tumor growth.

• Research has found that cranberries help to regulate cholesterol by reducing LDL levels and raising HDL levels, protecting against heart disease.  The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of cranberries also decrease oxidation of cholesterol which also prevents atherosclerosis and decreases risk of heart disease.

• Shown in a test tube, to prevent breast cancer cells from multiplying.

• Regular consumption of cranberries has been shown to help kill H. pylori bacteria, which can cause digestive problems, ulcers and stomach cancer.

• May have anti-viral properties

• The high antioxidant content in cranberries helps to prevent age-related macular degeneration.

Remember, to get the maximum benefit from cranberry juice, always look for unsweetened juice. You can add your own healthy natural sweetener. I like to sweeten my drinks with a bit of agave syrup because it dissolves easier than honey and doesn’t have a strong flavor like maple syrup.

For a fun cranberry spritzer, mix unsweetened cranberry juice with sparkling water, agave syrup to taste, and a squeeze of lime! You can also substitute cranberry juice with pomegranate juice.

Here’s a recipe for a great gluten free cranberry chutney. Enjoy!

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by clayirving.

A hot bowl of leek soup on a chilly autumn day is a great way to warm the belly. Like most of nature’s edible goodies, this week’s superfood is loaded with nutrients that nourish your body including vitamin C, manganese, iron, folate and vitamin B6. Leeks are a good source of fiber, too.

Leeks come from the same family of vegetables as onions and garlic, the Allium family and just like onions and garlic, leeks help prevent heart disease and reduce the risk for certain cancers.

Other amazing qualities of the super leek

• Lowers LDL and increases HDL cholesterol reducing atherosclerosis and risk for heart disease.
• Lowers high blood pressure reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
• Reduces the risk of prostate and colon cancer.
• Contains a flavonoid called kaempferol which has been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Some recipes that make the most of this mild and slightly sweet vegetable

• Elana’s thyme salmon with leek coulis (gluten free)
• Caramelized leek soup (gluten free)
• Roast pork loin with shiitake and leek compote (gluten free)

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by Spin Spin.

Not a lot of people eat this humble and unattractive fruit. Honestly, neither did I until a few years ago. Dr Igor introduced them to me one Thanksgiving when he showed up with an excited grin exclaiming, “quince!”

I was definitely not excited when I saw them sliced up with my classic parsnips and sweet potatoes, but I couldn’t resist Dr Igor’s smile!

He did a great job selling them when he described an apple/pear-esque fruit without the grain of a pear, or the apple-ness of an apple. Somewhat tart, still sweet and slightly dry. You can’t eat them raw but they take beautifully to poaching, baking, stewing and just about any other method of cooking.

There isn’t a lot of health research and information on quince, but in China and Japan it is sometimes used to treat gastric ulcers. This started to make sense when my Armenian mother-in-law recently told me that they use them as a remedy for sore throats. Just soak the seeds in hot water for 1 day. A gooey jelly will form which is sipped to relieve sore throats.

This fruit has been cultivated in Armenia for 4000 years and is native to that region. The very high pectin levels and complex polysaccharides are likely the common link between the soothing of sore throats and easing of gastric ulcers.

Here is a super easy Armenian stew recipe she also shared (no proportions of course):

• Cook a bunch of onions and parsley with garlic in some oil
• Add  beef, sliced quince and chopped tomato, cook for a few hours

Since then I’ve managed to find quince jellies and paste (contignac in France) but always look forward to the short season of this awkward fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.

Photo by Jeff Moser Bike Carson.

Originally from the Mediterranean, only the leaves were eaten historically.  The Romans were the first civilization to cultivate deeply pigmented roots for food.  We have Napoleon to thank for beets being a primary source of sugar when the passed a decree in the 19th century - The first sugar factory was built it Poland.

Buy fresh beets and please eat the stems! steam them, saute them (as you would spinach) they are loaded with nutrients.  The deep purple color is a powerful pigment called betacyanin which has been shown to be very protective against colon cancer.  The root is very high in vitamin C, potassium, folate and manganese.  They are also high in fiber.  Very high carotenoid content.

Pigmented beet powder is used as a coloring agent and often finds it’s way into the tomato sauce of frozen pizzas.  The pigments will change the color of your urine and stool to a red or pink color, don’t be alarmed its a harmless process sometimes called beeturia.

The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color-betacyanin-is also a powerfulcancer-fighting agent. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies.  Historically used to help liver disorders as part of it’s detoxifying effect.

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.