Cranberry juice, rich in antioxidants may help prevent recurring urinary tract infections for some women, but it will not likely lower your cholesterol. Limited research shows conflicting evidence about whether cranberry juice improves your heart-protective high-density lipoprotein – HDL or “good” cholesterol. If you drink sugar-sweetened cranberry juice, it could potentially raise your triglycerides, a type of fat included in your cholesterol profile.
Nutrition
One cup of unsweetened cranberry juice provides 116 calories, including 30.6g of sugar. This is more sugar than you’ll find in orange juice, which contains about 21g of sugar, and grapefruit juice, which contains about 23g. If you purchase cranberry juice cocktail, check the product label for its sugar content. Some varieties may contain a little or a lot of extra sugar. Cranberry juice provides some vitamin C, vitamin A, beta-carotene and calcium.
Scotland Study
S. J. Duthie and other researchers at Scotland’s Rowett Research Institute tested the ability of cranberry juice to reduce cholesterol and other markers of cardiovascular disease. Twenty healthy females drank either 750 mL – about 25 oz. – or a placebo daily for four weeks. The women’s cholesterol levels were tested before and after the study. The women who drank cranberry juice did not realize changes in their triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein – LDL or “bad” cholesterol – or HDL cholesterol, according to the report published in the March 2006 edition of the “European Journal of Nutrition.”
Canada Study
A study published in the August 2006 issue of the “British Journal of Nutrition” found that drinking low-calorie cranberry juice helped obese men improve their HDL levels. HDL cholesterol helps pull LDL cholesterol and triglycerides out of your bloodstream. The men drank up to 2 cups daily of cranberry juice for four weeks. At the end of the study, the men’s HDL cholesterol levels improved, according to G. Ruel, a researcher at Canada’s Laval University and lead author of the study.
Consideration
If you drink cranberry juice, choose unsweetened varieties or ones with artificial sweeteners. If you consume more than 100 to 200 calories a day from added sugars, you could elevate your triglycerides, according to the American Heart Association. Avoid drinking cranberry juice if you are allergic to aspirin or have a history of kidney stones. If you take warfarin, a drug used to prevent blood clotting, talk to your doctor before adding cranberry juice to your diet as the juice may increase your risk for bleeding.
References
- United States Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database
- "Circulation"; Triglycerides and Cardiovascular Disease A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association; Michael Miller, et al.; April 18, 2011
- "European Journal of Nutrition"; The Effects of Cranberry Juice Consumption on Antioxidant Status and Biomarkers Relating to Heart Disease and Cancer in Healthy Human Volunteers; S.J. Duthie, et al.; March 2006
- "British Journal of Nutrition";Favourable Impact of Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Consumption on Plasma HDL-Cholesterol Concentrations in Men; G. Ruel, et al.; August 2006
- MedlinePlus: Cranberry
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