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JAMAICANS DRINK THE MOST CRANBERRY
Nobody in the world drinks cranberry juice like Jamaicans.
What does this mean? It means that, for a small country just under 150 miles long and just over 50 miles wide, <span style="font-weight: bold">its people drink more cranberry juice per capita than anywhere else on the globe. </span>
Tamara Ward, brand manager for Wisynco Group Limited, local distributors of the popular Ocean Spray cranberry juice, told The Star that the juice was introduced in the mid-1990s, but sales really took off after 2000.
"In the summer of 2006, June-August, Ocean Spray experienced three months straight of 100 per cent growth over the same period the year before," Ward said in an email.
A case of cranberry consists of between eight and 12 bottles. information received by THE STAR suggests that Jamaicans have been gulping down the tangy fruit juice, <span style="font-weight: bold">with as many as one million cases being sold annually since 2007</span>. According to unconfirmed reports, this means Jamaica would be leading the United States of America in the per capita consumption rate by a clear 200,000 cases.
"This is all good news for Jamaicans ... with the statistics on chronic diseases and other ailments it is little wonder that wellness-conscious locals are having more of it (cranberry) ... more as a snack, more in juice form, more as a chaser, more as an accent to many traditional dishes," Ward said. "With cranberries being hailed as the wonder berry, with known and yet-unknown remedial capacities, this can ultimately help to enhance the health of Jamaicans who are consuming cranberry products."
A good thing
At least one doctor with whom the newspaper spoke said the remarkable consumption of cranberry juice in Jamaica may be a good thing.
"Well, certainly, this will help in cleansing the urinary tracts of the consumers. This means that they would be less likely to develop urinary tract infections (UTIs)," the doctor said. "UTIs can lead to kidney damage, which might later require dialysis."
The doctor said UTIs might also result in septicaemia. This is the presence of bacteria in the blood, which may be life-threatening.
Nobody in the world drinks cranberry juice like Jamaicans.
What does this mean? It means that, for a small country just under 150 miles long and just over 50 miles wide, <span style="font-weight: bold">its people drink more cranberry juice per capita than anywhere else on the globe. </span>
Tamara Ward, brand manager for Wisynco Group Limited, local distributors of the popular Ocean Spray cranberry juice, told The Star that the juice was introduced in the mid-1990s, but sales really took off after 2000.
"In the summer of 2006, June-August, Ocean Spray experienced three months straight of 100 per cent growth over the same period the year before," Ward said in an email.
A case of cranberry consists of between eight and 12 bottles. information received by THE STAR suggests that Jamaicans have been gulping down the tangy fruit juice, <span style="font-weight: bold">with as many as one million cases being sold annually since 2007</span>. According to unconfirmed reports, this means Jamaica would be leading the United States of America in the per capita consumption rate by a clear 200,000 cases.
"This is all good news for Jamaicans ... with the statistics on chronic diseases and other ailments it is little wonder that wellness-conscious locals are having more of it (cranberry) ... more as a snack, more in juice form, more as a chaser, more as an accent to many traditional dishes," Ward said. "With cranberries being hailed as the wonder berry, with known and yet-unknown remedial capacities, this can ultimately help to enhance the health of Jamaicans who are consuming cranberry products."
A good thing
At least one doctor with whom the newspaper spoke said the remarkable consumption of cranberry juice in Jamaica may be a good thing.
"Well, certainly, this will help in cleansing the urinary tracts of the consumers. This means that they would be less likely to develop urinary tract infections (UTIs)," the doctor said. "UTIs can lead to kidney damage, which might later require dialysis."
The doctor said UTIs might also result in septicaemia. This is the presence of bacteria in the blood, which may be life-threatening.