Cranberry juice provides plenty of nutrients while also offering health benefits that help a breastfeeding mother. While many of the potential benefits of cranberry juice remain under investigation, the drink remains an overall nutritious choice of beverage. However,take care to choose varieties that maximize the benefits, while avoiding empty calories.
Identification
Cranberry juice comes from the North American shrub Vaccinium macrocarpon. Natural 100 percent cranberry juice offers the most health benefits. However, pure cranberry juice has a bitter taste, so sweeteners are added to make it more palatable. Juice blends made with no added sugars may be healthy, but also lack the full benefits of pure cranberry juice. Cranberry juice cocktails contain little actual cranberry juice and likely do not provide the health benefits of cranberries.
Nutrition
One cup of unsweetened cranberry juice provides 116 calories. Cranberry juice provides about 39 percent of a breastfeeding woman's vitamin C dietary needs. Cranberry juice also provides over 10 percent of her required vitamin K and vitamin E. Other nutrients present in cranberry juice include folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, choline, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, niacin, riboflavin and vitamins B-6 and A. Cranberry juice delivers phytochemicals such as lutein and zeaxanthin that benefit eye health, and anthocyanins, which play a role in the prevention of urinary tract infections.
Uses
The most common use of cranberry juice is for the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections. One June 2002 study in the "Canadian Journal of Neurology" found that taking 24 oz. of cranberry juice daily, divided into three doses, reduced the incidence of urinary tract infections in sexually active women, a group that breastfeeding mothers typically fall into. Other uses that remain under investigation include the use of cranberry juice for Type 2 diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fever reduction, ulcers and lung inflammation.
Considerations
Cranberry juice is generally recognized as safe for breastfeeding women when consumed as a food, according to Drugs.com. On the other hand, consuming cranberry products, such as cranberry supplements, in doses higher than normally in food is not recommended. Avoid juice cocktails with added sugars while breastfeeding; these drinks contribute calories to the diet without providing the nutrients you need. If pure cranberry juice is too tart, try a 100 percent juice mixture that also contains nutrients from the other juices, instead.
References
- Aurora Health Care: Cranberry
- "Canadian Journal of Neurology"; A Randomized Trial to Evaluate Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness of Naturopathic Cranberry Products as Prophylaxis Against Urinary Tract Infection in Women; L. Stothers; June 2002
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory: Cranberry, Unsweetened
- Drugs.com: Cranberry
- "Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry"; Urinary Excretion of Anthocyanins in Humans After Cranberry Juice Ingestion; R. Ohnishi, et al.; July 2006
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