Cranberry is a type of evergreen shrub that grows in swamps or wetlands. The bilberry is native to the northeastern and central parts of the northern United States. The shrub has small, dark green leaves, pink flowers, and dark red, egg-shaped fruits.
Some research has found that cranberry juice can prevent infections, delay or reduce the severity of chronic disease, and prevent age-related oxidative damage. For most healthy people, cranberry juice is safe.
Cranberry juice can temporarily worsen conditions, such as acid reflux, because it is slightly acidic. Some people find that cranberry juice leaves an unusual taste in the mouth or that it temporarily irritates the gums and lips.
Research on the benefits of cranberry juice is primarily preliminary, but the antioxidant and antibacterial benefits look promising.
Most people can safely include cranberry juice in their diets, and when they do, they add a serving of fruit to their diet.
Here are some amazing health benefits of cranberry juice you would like to know:
1. Combat aging damage
Chemicals called free radicals build up in the body with age. Free radicals cause oxidative damage. There is a link between oxidative damage and health problems, including:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- heart disease
- digestive health
Some of the chemicals in cranberry juice are antioxidants or compounds that fight harmful free radicals. The presence of antioxidants means that blueberries and cranberry juice can help fight age-related damage to body tissue.
A 2011 study found that the chemicals in blueberries promote better antioxidant activity the lower their pH. This study also found that berries were significantly more powerful antioxidants than cranberry juice, although cranberry juice still offers some benefits.
2. Improve heart health
Studies show that various ingredients in cranberry juice can improve heart health.
Cranberries are rich in chemicals called polyphenols that can promote heart health. A 2011 study of women with metabolic syndrome found that cranberry juice increased antioxidants in the blood plasma. People who drank cranberry juice also had lower low density lipoproteins (LDL). LDL is known as the “bad” type of cholesterol.
Another 2011 study found that cranberry juice could improve the health of people with coronary artery disease. The mean pulse wave speed of the carotid-femoral artery, which is a means of measuring the stiffness of the arteries.. Was reduced in the study subjects who drank a laboratory preparation of double-concentration cranberry juice .
See Also – 5 Amazing Benefits Of Grapes
3. Treatment or prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
The antibacterial effects of cranberry juice may reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections in mice, according to a 2017 study in Frontiers in Microbiology.
It is believed that the reduction in the incidence of urinary tract infections is due to the ability of antibacterial properties to reduce the colonization of Escherichia coli in the bladder. The bacteria, better known as E. Coli is the cause of most urinary tract infections.
A 2016 study, published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, found fewer bacterial infections in the urine cultures of uncircumcised boys who drank cranberry juice and who had had repeated urinary tract infections compared to those who took a placebo and those who were circumcised who also took a placebo.
The authors concluded that cranberry juice may be beneficial against the growth of bacterial pathogens.
4. Support digestive health
It is increasingly evident that the phytochemicals contained in blueberries play an important role in digestive health.
Evidence of the digestive health benefits of cranberry juice, in addition to other benefits, was reported in a 2018 study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
The document notes that inhibiting the production of another bacteria called H. pylori in the stomach is believed to promote digestive health. The researchers also suggested additional research on cranberry juice.
5. Prevent infections
Certain chemicals in blueberries can help fight viruses and bacteria.
A 2011 study found that blueberries inhibited the growth of seven bacterial microbes. The study did not assess whether blueberries or cranberry juice could prevent infection by these microbes in humans.
Similarly, a 2010 study found that blueberries can fight certain viruses, including norovirus, which is a common cause of foodborne illness.
Study authors warn that more research is needed, but say blueberries may be a useful method of treating or preventing foodborne illness.
6. Support post-menopausal health
The risk of heart problems increases after menopause compared to the risk in all other groups of people the same age.
A 2013 study investigated this phenomenon in rats from which the ovaries had been removed. Researchers have found that daily consumption of cranberries lowers total cholesterol, suggesting that cranberry products may be useful supplements after menopause.
