Cranberries have a sweet ,sour and astringent (or drying) taste. The sour taste typically increases the production of saliva and is very useful for helping to digest rich, protein and heavy foods eaten during holidays such as Thanksgiving. Cranberries have special blood-cleansing and infection-fighting qualities and are considered Pitta or heat balancing. They are also diuretic, alterative (blood-cleansing) and hemostatic and may help with infections of the urinary tract. Cranberries can be very helpful for constipation issues and ironically can also be a good remedy for diarrhea