Cranberries come from the Vaccinium macrocarpon bush and have a naturally tart flavour. People commonly use them in cooking, baking, juice, or eat them fresh. North Americans often serve cranberry sauce with turkey during Thanksgiving. Traditionally, people used cranberries for hundreds of years to support urinary tract health, and today, people use concentrated cranberry supplements for the same reason.

Modern research has examines cranberry's traditional use for urinary tract health. Some research suggests cranberry may also reduce the severity of established urinary tract infections. However, evidence remains mixed, and cranberry should not replace medical treatment for an active infection.

How Can A Cranberry Supplement Help?

Cranberry contains compounds called lectins that prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. Cranberry compounds may prevent certain bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall. When bacteria cannot attach, urince can flush them from the urinary tract more easily. This is particularly true of the most common urinary tract pathogen, the bacteria commonly called E. coli.

The increased activity against E. coli may also be due to the mannose content of cranberry. Supplementation with cranberry also acidifies the urine, which makes it an uncomfortable environment for many bacteria to live and reproduce.

The Powerful Nutritional Benefits Found in Cranberries

In addition to the antibacterial sugar mannose, cranberries also contain significant amounts of vitamin C, which is important for the healing of the lining of the urinary tract. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins that may support healthy cell growth. Preliminary laboratory research has demonstrated these potential effects. Researchers need more studies to determine whether these findings translate into clinical benefits.

The Great Debate: Concentrated Cranberry Supplement vs Cranberry Cocktails

It is important to avoid drinking sweetened cranberry cocktails, because they often contain little actual cranberry juice and lots of sugar. Sugar actually feeds the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, and can allow them to reproduce more quickly.

What To Look For In A Highly Concentrated Cranberry Supplements?

Cranberry can be purchased as raw or dried berries, encapsulated dried berries, encapsulated extract, pure, concentrated juice or in powder form. The concentrated unsweetened, pure juice is the best way to consume cranberry for its medicinal qualities. The juice is very tart but be sure to only dilute the juice with water, not other fruit juices to avoid adding extra sugar.

Encapsulated cranberry ranges in strength and quality. Purchase a product that gives an equivalent value of raw cranberries or concentrated cranberry juice. Combination products for urinary tract infections may contain cranberry. Traditional sources commonly recommend 300ml of unsweetened cranberry juice daily. You can dilute the juice with water as desired. Some sources recommend 400mg of cranberry tablets three times daily for at least one month. Children's dosing requires professional guidance because appropriate amounts depend on age, weight, and health status.