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Nutrition Healthy Eating

Studies Show Cranberries May Have Many Health Benefits

Summary & Participants

While cranberry juice has long held credit for aiding urinary track infections, researchers are discovering additional health benefits.

Medically Reviewed On: July 21, 2009

Webcast Transcript

DR. NANCY SNYDERMAN: Hello, I’m Dr. Nancy Snyderman with this week’s Healthful Hint.

Looking for a home cure that’s “berry” good for you? Well cranberry juice, a traditional remedy for urinary track infections is getting new respect in medical circles.

Researchers recently found cranberries contain certain chemicals that keep bacteria from sticking to many kinds of human cells. That means cranberry juice may possess infection-fighting powers that go way beyond the bladder.

For example, when researchers applied cranberry extract to the mouths of 84 people with gum disease, the cranberry extract reduced the buildup of bacteria in more than half.

And other experiments show cranberries may even protect the heart. That’s because cranberry compounds appear to reduce the ability of bad cholesterol to damage the arteries.

But there’s one big hitch – it takes a lot of sugar to offset cranberries’ tartness; sugar that’s not good for your teeth or your waistline.

So if you can’t take your cranberries straight up, check out their sweeter cousins – blueberries. They have the same infection fighting power, at least in the test tube.

With Healthful Hints, I’m Dr. Nancy Snyderman