Cranberries are red fruits with tarty taste, obtained from evergreen dwarf shrubs. Cranberries are loaded with compounds that can combat E.coli bacteria. This bacteria is responsible for most cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs). A juice prepared from cranberry is potent for treating urinary tract infection and for enhancing kidney health.

Cranberry juice contains loads of health benefits including cancer prevention, kidney stone prevention, boosting heart health, and promoting digestive health among others.

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Apart from its curative properties, cranberries were used in the early century as a source of red pigment for the coloring of cloth, blankets and rugs due to the presence of proanthocyanidins which gives the fruit its vibrant colour.

In this article, we look at the health benefits of cranberry juice, its effectiveness at eliminating UTIs, and whether this juice is good for your kidneys. Read on to find out.

Health Benefits of Cranberry Juice
Cranberry is rich in antioxidants, which helps to eradicate free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for damaging the DNA and may contribute to heart disease, cancer among others. Let’s look at some health benefits of drinking cranberry juice.

1. Treats Urinary Tract Infections
Though men suffer Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), but the disease is more common among women. Several studies have shown that cranberry juice is potent at preventing UTIs, thanks to the presence of antibacterial compounds (tannins) in cranberry juice. Urinary tract infections occurs when infectious microbes attach to the walls of the organs and begin to grow and multiply. Tannins in cranberry juice helps prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder and the kidneys, hence preventing UTIs.

2. Prevents Formation of Kidney Stone
Cranberry juice contains an acidic compound (quinic acid ) that is not broken down in the body but excreted in the urine. Quinic acid helps prevent kidney stone by slightly increasing the acidity of the urine to a level that makes it hard for kidney stones to form. People with recurrent cases of kidney stones may benefit from the drinking cranberry juice because it helps to considerably decrease the amount of ionized calcium in the urine.

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3. Helps Fight Cancer
Results from a 1996 study published in the journal “Planta Medica” indicated that cranberries contains anti-cancer properties. According to the research, the phytochemicals in cranberry fruit helps prevent the development of colon, prostate, breast, lung, and other tumors. More study needs to be conducted to this effect since this research is at its preliminary stage. However, study suggests that cranberry contains compounds that may help fight cancer.

4. Promotes Digestive Health
Cranberry juice helps prevent harmful bacteria from sticking to the walls of the stomach, thanks to the presence of antioxidant proanthocyanidin contained in cranberry. A May 2008 study published revealed that the activities of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which is mostly responsible for stomach ulcers and gastric cancer was prevented by the intake of cranberry juice. Cranberry juice also maintain the healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.

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5. Boosts Heart Health
A trial study unveiled at the 2003 American Chemical Society meeting revealed that consuming cranberry juice helps to increase lipoprotein the good cholesterol which supports heart health. Cranberries contain high concentrations of flavonoids, which can help prevent heart disease and enhance circulation. The formation of blood clots that causes stroke can be prevented by phenols in cranberry.

What are the Side Effects of Consuming Cranberry Juice?
Cranberry juice is beneficial to the body, but it should be consumed in moderation. Drinking excessive quantity of cranberry juice can cause:

Stomach or abdominal upset
Kidney stones
Diarrhea
High risk of cancer oxalate uroliths
These are just some of the possible side effects. Consult your doctor for possible side effects before consuming cranberry juice.

Can A Pregnant Woman Take Cranberry Pills?
Most pregnant women take cranberry pills during pregnancy. Cranberry pills has been used to combat urinary tract infections during pregnancy and there are yet no studies to indicate cranberry pills exposes the mother and baby to harm and other pregnancy complications.

Normally, a woman’s risk of developing UTIs is greatly increased from the 6th week of pregnancy, all through week 24, due to changes in the urinary tract as the uterus develops. As the baby grows, its increasing weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder, leading to infection. Untreated UTI can lead to kidney infection, which can lead to early labor and low birth weight.

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Cranberry pills and cranberry fruits/juices can be taken during pregnancy, as long as it is recommended by a doctor, under proper care and supervision.

Though some medical practitioners warn pregnant women to avoid taking cranberry products because they are unsure of how safe it is.

Additional Tips on Consuming Cranberry Juice
To derive the best benefits from cranberry juice, it is best you prepare it yourself by extracting the juice with little amount of water. Consume it in its pure form without mixing anything for best benefits. Cranberry juice is tart, the more concentrated it is, the better.

Avoid purchasing commercial cranberry juice because they dilute the amount of cranberry juice and replace it with sweeter juices or flavours.

Alternatively, you can prepare your cranberry juice cocktail by mixing pure cranberry juice with orange juice, strawberry juice, or grapefruit juice.

Is Cranberry Juice Good for Your Kidney?
Cranberry juice is good for your kidney, according to the American National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. This body officially recommends drinking cranberry juice to flush out from your system the bacteria causing Urinary Tract Infections. Cranberry juice can help get rid of excess water from the system and break down fatty tissue, hence acting as a kidney cleanser.

Instead of consuming profuse amount of cranberry juice, the best option for taking cranberry may be to take it in supplement form.

Note:
Cranberry extract may not be effective at treating UTIs once the bacteria has attached to the urinary tract. Cranberry extracts only helps to prevent the bacteria from attaching in the first place, hence making it a preventive, rather than a curative remedy. UTIs can only be treated with antibiotics.

Ways to Prevent UTI and Kidney Disease
There are ways you can prevent urinary tract infection in the first place.

Drink lots of water every day, at least 48 to 64 oz
Avoid intake of refined and sugary foods
Limit or avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption
Urinate immediately you feel the urge to

Source: https://healthdiary365.com/cranberry-juice-is-it-good-for-your-kidney-and-for-treating-utis/