Researchers in Tel Aviv have discovered that cranberry juice can do a lot more than prevent urinary tract infections. It has a compound that is called "non-dialyzable material (NDM)." This NDM makes a slick "teflon-like" coating on cells so that bacteria can't hang on and create infection. Since we've discovered that h. Pylori causes some stomach ulcers, heart disease and who knows what else, it makes sense to start drinking that tart little berry's juice. But wait, what about all those high-priced juices from around the world like Acai and Noni? Ah, that's a good question! Do these juices have great benefits? You bet they do. Are they worth the premium price? I don't think they necessarily warrant spending 20 times their wholesale cost.
There has been an amazing success story built around the fruit juice business over the past few years. Products from all over the world are bottled in expensive-looking containers and promoted as the next great "cure-all." It's not that they're not great, it's just that it requires a huge mark-up to get them to market. That's why you see these fruit juice mixes at Costco for a fraction of the price of the original product. They are essentially the same thing as the heavily marketed multilevel product, but the "secret process" for extracting the juice isn't the selling point. I think cold-pressing (low heat and NO chemicals) is the optimal way to extract juice from anything. There are special methods that could possibly improve freshness or purity to some degree but I don' think it would ever warrant spending many times as much for the same product. Your body's just too good at working with raw materials.
I bring up the cranberry juice research because tart cherries are great against arthritis (I think they fight infection in the joints). Grape juice helps fight heart disease. Orange juice reduces viral infections. I could go on but I think you get the idea. We don;'t need an exotic juide from deep in the darkest jungles to get a benefit. We need whole foods in abundance and a clear focus on the power of God's creation in making health a reality. Exotic products are wonderful as a novelty, but I'll take a good cold glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice to support my immune system anyday. Don't fall for the pitch that "This is the only juice that has such an amazing anti-oxidant profile." It's just a way to get you to part with your money wihtout any great difference in outcomes. Look for fresh juices in your favorite flavors. Fresh-squeezed, expeller-pressed or blended into a smoothie............. you can't go wrong when you stick with God's cocktail selections!
