The health benefits of cranberries and cranberry juice

Some women are more prone to urinary tract infections (UTI) during their periods, so they take cranberry juice to prevent the infection during this time.

"Cranberries may work by preventing the adhesion of bacteria, most commonly the E. coli bacteria, to the wall of the urinary bladder," says Ms Ang Bixia, Senior Dietitian, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics at K​K Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group.

However, cranberries (particularly in the form of cranberry juice) are considered more of an alternative medicine or health supplement for this ailment.

Can cranberry juice prevent urinary tract infections in women?

Cranberry juice has traditionally been used for the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections (UTI), and there is some research to support its use in the prevention of these infections. 
A review of 50 studies found that the use of cranberry products, including cranberry juice) may help to prevent UTIs for women with recurrent UTIs, in children and in people susceptible to UTIs following interventions e.g. bladder radiotherapy). 
However, the current available research does not show that the benefits extend to elderly, patients with bladder emptying problems or pregnant women. 

A moderate amount of cranberry juice has no known harmful effect, but an excessive intake may have a laxative effect. 

Consider buying cranberry juice that is 100% pure cranberry juice with no added sugar. To prevent and treat UTI, ensuring adequate fluid intake from plain water is still important as it can help to dilute urine and more frequent urination can allow bacteria to be flushed from the urinary tract. 

For people who have diabetes or kidney stones may want to be more cautious when taking cranberry juice. Cranberry juice has lower fibre  content than fresh juice and is a more concentrated source of sugar. Also, it contains oxalates, which may contribute to formation of calcium oxalate, which is a type of kidney stone.

What role do cranberries play in the battle against cancer?

Cranberries are rich in phytochemicals such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids, which have antioxidant properties. In experiments on colon oesophageal and breast cancer cells grown in the laboratory, cranberry extracts have been found to slow cancer cell growth. A study reported that the addition of cranberry extract to standard chemotherapy increased the effectiveness of the chemotherapy several fold, when used in the treatment of ovarian cancer cells grown in the laboratory.

Although these reports are interesting and point to a possible role of cranberries in cancer treatment, there is still a long way to go before we say that cranberries have any anti-cancer benefit, and active research is ongoing to further address these questions.

The exact compound in cranberries that is responsible for any anti-cancer benefit needs to be identified. In addition, more studies would be required, first, in laboratory animals, to test the effect of cranberries on the development and/o​r treatment of cancer, and to determine the optimum dose to be used.

"If proven safe, studies can then be conducted on humans to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and role of cranberries. Only after these studies can we reach a conclusion on their true anti-cancer properties i​n humans," says Clincal Associate Professor Ang Mei-Kim​, Senior Consultant, Department of Medical Oncology​ at ​​National Cancer Centre Singapore​ (NCCS), a member of the SingHealth group.

Estimated nutrient content of cranberries (raw)

Serving size: 110g
Energy: 51 kcal
Carbohydrate: 13g
Dietary fiber: 5g
Protein: 0g
Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 2mg

Ref: W09​

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