Cranberries - Your Best Defense Against Urinary Tract Infections

Cate Stevenson, BA, 2 March 2009

Cranberries often go under the radar when people are grocery shopping. Most of us are more likely to pick up some raspberries or strawberries from the produce section. This is too bad, because eating cranberries could have a number of health benefits for you.

Research has shown that drinking cranberry juice could reduce or eliminate instances of urinary tract infection. It seems the proanthocyanidins in cranberries can inhibit bacteria from attaching to the wall of the urinary tract. This limits their ability to produce colonies and spread infection.

In one clinical trial, researchers compared the effectiveness of cranberry extract with a commonly used drug called trimethoprim in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). A total of 137 women with two or more antibiotic-treated UTIs in the previous 12 months were recruited for the study. The patients were randomized to receive either 500 mg of cranberry extract or 100 mg of trimethoprim for six months. The researchers reported that trimethoprim had a very limited advantage over cranberry extract in the prevention of recurrent UTIs in older women and had more adverse effects.

Cranberries may also be beneficial in the battle against atherosclerosis. Because they contain flavonoids, cranberries could help reduce the amount of bad cholesterol clogging the walls of your arteries while increasing the level of good cholesterol in your system. The berry may also have anti-tumor capabilities and may help in the reduction of cavities and plaque-producing bacteria in your mouth.

Cranberries are packed with vitamin C which could help to protect your immune system. In fact, one cup of 100% juice should provide the recommended daily intake of vitamin C as well as count for two servings of fruit. Of course, you want to make sure that the juice has no added sugar or preservatives to increase its health-boosting properties.

You can add cranberries to your diet in a number of ways. Try cranberry juice, dried cranberries (which make a great snack), or fresh cranberries, which can be cooked on the stovetop in a matter of minutes. Cranberries can be added to any number of recipes and are especially tasty in muffins, breads and cereals.

Source:
What Is Your Best Defense Against Urinary Tract Infections? McMurdo, M.E., et al., "Cranberry or trimethoprim for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections? A randomized controlled trial in older women," J. Antimicrob. Chemother., 2009 Feb.; 63(2): 389-95.

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