Cranberries are one of three fruits native to North America that are commercially grown. You may consume cranberries in a variety of ways: in sauces, added to baked goods, dried, frozen or fresh. Cranberry juice cocktail, the most common way to consume cranberries, is about 27 percent cranberry juice mixed with apple and grape juice. Pure cranberry juice is also available, but it may be difficult to find. A rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants, cranberry juice offers a variety of health benefits.
Urinary Tract Health
Urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs, occur when bacteria multiply in any part of the urinary tract, including the urethra, ureters, bladder, kidneys or prostate. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, drinking cranberry juice may prevent UTIs. Researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute have demonstrated that compounds in cranberry juice make it difficult for UTI-causing bacteria to stick to the walls of the urinary tract, thus preventing infection.
Heart Health
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Researchers at Tufts University have found, after surveying research literature, that phytochemicals found in cranberries may benefit the heart. Daily consumption of cranberry juice has been demonstrated to significantly lower low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol levels. This is the "bad" cholesterol. The review presented by the Tufts University researchers also noted a study that revealed participants who drank cranberry juice in increasing amounts over 12 weeks had higher high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, levels -- the "good" cholesterol. Low LDL and high HDL cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Cancer Prevention
The wide variety of phytochemicals contained in cranberry juice work synergistically to prevent cancer, according to a review published in the "Journal of Nutrition." The review states that antioxidants in cranberry juice prevent cancer not only by inhibiting tumor growth, but also by inducing cancer cell death.
References
- Chemical and Engineering News: Cranberry Juice Keeps Infections at Bay
- Tufts Journal: A Different Cocktail for the Heart
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Cranberry and Its Phytochemicals: A Review of In Vitro Anticancer Studies; Catherine C. Neto; January 2007
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections
- Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association: Health Benefits of Cranberries
- American Heart Association: About Cholesterol
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