No Christmas dinner would be complete without a generous dollop of cranberry sauce, but these little red fruits have much more to offer than just an annual appearance on the side of your plate.

The health benefits of cranberries have been proclaimed for centuries, with early American Indians using the berries to help wounds to heal. Native Americans were also responsible for an early version of cranberry sauce, which they made by boiling the berries and then sweetening them with honey or maple syrup.

Today cranberries can be used to help prevent urinary tract infections such as cystitis, and research suggests they may protect against the formation of kidney stones. They are believed to contain chemical compounds which stop certain molecules sticking together, enabling toxins to be flushed out of the body.

According to The British Dental Foundation, cranberries may also help protect against problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Scientists found that by preventing harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth, cranberries can stop plaque from forming, thereby preventing one of the biggest causes of dental problems.

However, the foundation warns that, because of their acidity, cranberry products often have high levels of added sugar, so people should take care not to cancel out the good work done by the berries by inadvertently eating too much sugar. Fresh cranberries are packed with nutrients, vitamin C, dietary fibre and antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to be helpful in preventing many kinds of illness.

The amount of goodness in a berry depends on its freshness. However, because they have a relatively short season, it is worth trying frozen fruit too.

Juice and juice drinks tend to contain the lowest levels of beneficial nutrients, but they still contain a good dose of vitamin C. However you choose to eat them, cranberries are one of nature's superfoods, and, as more research is done into their many health-giving properties, it would appear that a cranberry is for life not just for Christmas.

For more information visit www.cranberryinstitute.org or www.dentalhealth.org.uk