Cranberries are a versatile fruit, and the juice pressed out of this berry has many uses. In addition to culinary and medicinal benefits, cranberry juice offers a natural dye option, imparting a pink or red hue for coloring paper, fabric and other objects. Many people add cranberry juice to their diets for its health benefits.
Beverage and Cocktail Mixer
The most common use of cranberry juice is as a drink. Cranberry juice offers up a sweet-tart flavor appropriate for any meal or even as a snack. You can add soda water to the juice to make a carbonated beverage and garnish it with lemon or other fruits. Additionally, cranberry juice makes a tasty mixer for cocktails. Common drinks made with cranberry juice include the Alabama Slammer, Cosmopolitan and Sea Breeze. Some people also incorporate cranberry juice into sangria, a Spanish drink made with wine and fruit. Note that some cranberry juices can contain ample amounts of sugar, so look for varieties with the lowest amounts of sugar for best health.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
Cranberry juice has long served as a home remedy to prevent and treat urinary tract infections. An article in the December 2004 issue of the journal "American Family Physician" notes that researchers believe benefits derived from cranberry juice for this purpose come from its ability to prevent bacteria from attaching to cell surface membranes. Research is inconclusive about cranberry juice's true effectiveness for decreasing the risk of urinary tract infections or treating them; however, MayoClinic.com reports that women who suffer recurring infections seem to reap the most benefits from adding cranberry juice to their diets. No guidelines exist as to the proper dosage of cranberry juice for fighting infections. Consult your health care provider about the effectiveness of drinking cranberry juice for urinary tract infections.
Digestive System Aid
Drinking cranberry juice may benefit you if you have a Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence published in the April 2005 edition of the "Helicobacter" journal indicates that cranberry juice can suppress this bacterium. Chinese study participants received two 250 ml containers of cranberry juice over a 90 day period. More studies are needed to confirm this benefit. The Helicobacter pylori bacteria can trigger stomach lining inflammation, peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Speak to your doctor about consuming cranberry juice to fight this bacteria.
Anti-Carcinogenic Properties
While cranberry juice should never take the place of traditional cancer treatments, some evidence exists to supports its effectiveness for stopping the spread of cancer cells and killing those cells. A study in the March-April 2007 issue of "Anticancer Research" reveals that cranberry juice has some ability to prevent cancer, possibly due to this juice's antioxidant action. Have a conversation with your oncologist or family doctor about the benefits of drinking cranberry juice for cancer prevention.
References
- In The Spirit: Cranberry Juice Cocktails
- Food.com: Jolly Cranberry Juice Sangria Recipe; November 2010
- "American Family Physician"; Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections; D.M. Lynch; December 2004
- MayoClinic.com: Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Alternative Medicine; June 2010
- "Helicobacter"; Efficacy of Cranberry Juice on Helicobacter pylori Infection; L. Zhang, et al.; April 2005
- KidsHealth from Nemours: Helicobacter pylori
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