Compared to most other juices, Cranberry juice is often hailed as an extremely healthy and beneficial drink for boosting immunity, helping relieve sicknesses, improving skin, and helping combat urinary tract infection. Usually, people who are dealing with a urinary tract infection are advised to drink plenty of cranberry juice as it has the ability to prevent it. Some even claim that it can lower the intensity of UTIs -  but, is there any truth to these claims?

Pexels | Everyone loves Cranberries - the fruit and the music band

Getting to Know Cranberries

Some age-old medical practices have touted cranberry as the cure for a urinary tract infection but modern science is yet to verify these claims with reliable research findings. It has been clinically proven that cranberry and its juice are packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients that are vital for your health. WebMD reports that cranberries are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, folate, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, K. And if that is not enough to sway your opinion, Cranberries also come with high levels of antioxidants.

Pexels | Yup, that large serving of cranberry juice is definitely worth it

Benefits of Cranberries

Now that we know that these red fruits are loaded with nutrients, let’s talk about the benefits they offer in the real world. For starters, the ample amount of vitamin C present in cranberries is great for your immune system and also promotes physical healing and the production of collagen. The rich amount of antioxidants present in cranberries works as a prevention method against free radicals in your cells and stops the damaging of the DNA, which means that it can significantly lower the chances of you developing illnesses like heart diseases.

Pexels | Vitamin C and the antioxidants are great for anti-aging and are often used as active ingredients in skincare as well

The Truth Behind Cranberry Juice and UTIs

Although there is no scientific evidence behind the myth of cranberry juice and UTI, there might be some answers nonetheless. Healthline explained that cranberry juice contains proanthocyanidins which are said to stop the UTI-causing bacteria from attaching itself to the urinary tract.

However, it is also important to note that there is insufficient evidence as of right now to support these claims and so, while it does offer a myriad of benefits, “cure for UTIs,” sadly, is not one of them.