Ocean Spray has officially launched its vast range of "delicious and nutritious" juice drinks in the GCC.

“The cool, crisp and refreshing products are bursting with fruity flavors and jam-packed with beneficial cranberry properties such as polyphenol antioxidants, and are perfect for the high juice consumption habits of the Saudi Arabian population,” the company stated.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2014 Country Profile report of Saudi Arabia, obesity is fast turning out to be a major cause of concern for the Kingdom with seven out of 10 Saudis suffering from obesity and 37 percent of Saudi women facing problems related to overweight.

A recent study revealed that a whopping SR500 million per year was spent by people suffering from obesity in the Kingdom on treatment, especially diabetes, which is prevalent among a large section of Saudis, including women.

The disease had spread at an alarming rate of 30 percent in the past 10 years. The Ministry of Health is currently developing a national strategy to combat obesity and is in the process of setting up a national center for obesity at the King Fahd Medical City with five similar centers across the Kingdom in the pipeline.

Recent studies show that cranberry, the tiny red fruit has a positive effect on one’s overall health and wellbeing.

Cranberry extract lowers the amount of tissue-damaging enzymes, called MMPs, which have been linked to heart disease and arthritis with new pre-clinical trials suggesting that the natural purifying element in the fruit may have properties that limit oxidative stress and help promote whole body health.

Cranberries also contain unique elements, called proanthocyanidins or PACs that cleanse and purify the body by preventing certain bacteria from sticking inside the body. They have one of the highest levels of antioxidant activity of many commonly consumed fruits.