Written by Abby Gelineau, Dietetic Intern, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Updated November 15, 2024
Cranberries are a tart fruit that can be used in many different ways: fresh, juice, or dried!
Cranberries are rich in antioxidants which can be beneficial for heart health by lowering
blood pressure, lowering the bad cholesterol and raising the good cholesterol 1 .
However, cranberries have lots of other nutrients that can play a big part in improving
health. Commonly, cranberry juice has been used to improve health conditions such as
urinary tract infection (UTI’s) and diabetes mellitus(1.)
Heart health is something that cranberry products can contribute to. Cranberries have
lots of antioxidants, which are important for heart health. Studies have shown that
cranberry juice can help to reduce lots of different heart disease risks, one of which is
cholesterol. Cranberry juice can help increase HDLs (the good cholesterol) and reduce
the LDLs (the bad cholesterol).(1) It can also help lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart
attack, and reduce inflammation in the blood vessels.(1) These things together help
reduce the risk of heart disease.
Cranberry juice is commonly used to help with urinary tract infections. Current research has shown that while cranberries may be able to help with prevention of UTI’s in certain people.(2) However, there is some contradicting research regarding the effectiveness of cranberries in preventing UTI’s.(1) What we do know is that cranberries have a phytonutrient called A-type proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins prevent E. coli from
attaching to the lining of the bladder. This kind of bacteria can grow in the urinary tract and cause a UTI, so it may be possible that cranberries can be preventative of the
infection.(1)
Another nutrient that can be found in cranberries is polyphenols. Polyphenols have a role in managing blood sugars by reducing insulin resistance and they help regulate blood sugar, which, in turn, can help prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes.(3)
Grape Vanilla Smoothie
By Ocean Spray
What You Need
- 8 oz of Ocean Spray Cran-Grape juice
- 1/3 cup Vanilla Yogurt
- 6 oz of sparkling water
What You Do
- Freeze the vanilla yogurt
- Take out frozen yogurt and put into a blender with the juice.
- Blend for a few seconds on high speed or until ingredients are combined
- Pour into 2 glasses and divide the sparkling water between the two glasses.
References
1. Cranberries 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. Healthline. February 15, 2019.
Accessed November 16, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/cranberries
2. Williams G, Stothart CI, Hahn D, Stephens JH, Craig JC, Hodson EM. Cranberries for
preventing urinary tract infections. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
2023;2023(11):CD001321. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub7
3. Guasch-Ferré M, Merino J, Sun Q, Fitó M, Salas-Salvadó J. Dietary Polyphenols,
Mediterranean Diet, Prediabetes, and Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of the
Evidence. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2017;2017(1):6723931.
doi:10.1155/2017/6723931
4. Grape Vanilla Smoothie. Ocean Spray®. Accessed November 16,
2024. https://www.oceanspray.com/recipes/grape-vanilla-smoothie
