Eating Fabulous

Cranberry Juice Helps Fight Infections, But How?

by ruth on September 19th, 2006

Cranberry juice can help fight bladder infections and other bacterial infections. Yes, I know I’ve sung that tune before. But there’s still the question of how.

A new study presented by researchers from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) during the the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco last week suggests that a group of tannins called proanthocyanidins found primarily in cranberries may affect potentially pathogenic bacteria in three ways:

• They change the shape of the bacteria from rods to spheres.
• They alter their cell membranes.
• They make it difficult for bacteria to make contact with cells, or from latching on to them should they get close enough.

Collectively, this makes is difficult for bacteria to adhere to the host cells and iniate infection. Just how much cranberry juice does one need to reap the benefits? Recommended doses range from 90 to 480 milliliters (3 to 16 ounces) of cranberry cocktail twice daily, or 15 to 30 milliliters of unsweetened 100% cranberry juice daily. See my previous entry on cranberry juice and bladder infections for more details.

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POSTED IN: Healthy Beverages, ~Elimination and Excretion, ~Fruit and Vegetables, ~Immune Defense