Most of us are used to consuming cranberries in sauces or as salad toppings. The red, tantalizing fruit can also be served as a juice to fuel your body. It’s a powerhouse of goodness that nourishes the body and also makes your taste buds dance!
Its nutritional profile and possible therapeutic properties make it one of the most popular beverages among health enthusiasts. Although it holds several perks for all people, it is said to be specifically beneficial for females. If you’re a woman who is looking to boost your wellness with healthy alternatives, this is the place to be.
Below, we explore some cranberry juice benefits for females to convince you why it’s a necessary addition to your diet. Dive in!
The growing inclination of people toward cranberry has spurred more research into its benefits. The link between cranberry juice and women’s health was further emphasized when it was suggested to help with premenstrual and post-menopausal symptoms and signs of aging.
Check out how the juice may promote health for you or other women around you.
A single cup of cranberry juice contains 4% of the magnesium daily value (DV) (7). This mineral works as a catalyst for many functions such as muscle function and bone mineralization, but a deficiency may lead to muscle cramps (12).
It has been suggested that increasing your magnesium intake can help reduce the pain you experience during PMS. You know what’s cool?
Getting enough magnesium helps keep your bones strong by promoting increased bone density. As women age, they’re more likely to deal with osteoporosis, which is when bones lose their density. This risk increases after menopause as estrogen, which usually protects bones, starts to decrease (14).
During PMS, women are likely to experience anxiety, stress, lower back pain, and breast tenderness. Supplementing the body with magnesium and vitamin B6 was found to help reduce the intensity of these symptoms in a study (12). More research on cranberry juice is required to establish whether it has an impact on PMS symptoms and osteoporosis.
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Menopause is when a woman stops experiencing menstruation. This brings several hormonal changes that can create unpleasant symptoms such as night sweats, mood swings, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness (1).
Studies performed on animals have suggested that cranberry juice may improve postmenopausal health. An experiment was performed on rats where their ovaries were removed to mimic what happens when women go through menopause (3). It was found that when the rats were given cranberry juice regularly, it helped lower their cholesterol and improved other markers related to heart health.
This isn’t conclusive, but it’s certainly pretty interesting.
Cranberry juice may also support vaginal health. The proanthocyanidins can stop bacteria such as E.coli sticking to the urinary tract walls (6). This may prevent the formation of urinary tract infections.
Women are more prone to UTIs due to their anatomy. Factors such as sexual activity and pregnancy can also increase the chances of developing these infections (4). The best way to deal with UTIs is through antibiotics. As the consumption of antibiotics can kill good bacteria too, most people are interested in preventing these in the first place.
It’s important to note that cranberries cannot be used to treat a UTI, but they may help with the prevention of the symptoms. You should consult your doctor if you’re dealing with this condition as relying on natural methods isn’t recommended.
Cranberry juice is a great option to include in your healthy balanced diet. It can keep your body happy and active while providing potential perks that aren’t offered by many beverages.
After analyzing the potential perks it holds for women, you may be wondering how many cups are safe for consumption. It’s important to study its nutritional profile and then decide the amount of consumption.
One cup or 8 ounces of cranberry juice contains (10):
The vitamins in cranberries may be particularly helpful for supporting immune function. All the proanthocyanidin antioxidants aren’t just hanging out for nothing – they come packed with a bunch of potential health perks such as fighting off microbes, supporting your immune system, protecting your brain, and guarding against serious illnesses such as cancer and diabetes (15).
There’s no specific recommendation for cranberry juice intake, but one cup of cranberry juice can form part of the 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fruits adults should consume each day (9). Some people may end up consuming too much. As with other fruit juices, cranberry juice is high in sugar and low in fiber. As we always say, you should consult a registered dietitian or certified healthcare practitioner to find out the appropriate amounts of cranberry juice for you.
Opting for cranberry juice with no added sugars is preferable to avoid excess sugar intake.
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If you’re interested in cranberry juice because you have a UTI, you should know that it isn’t an effective treatment on its own. You can drink cranberry juice in addition to whatever treatment is prescribed by your healthcare provider, but cranberry juice on its own won’t work.
If you want to drink cranberry juice to help reduce PMS symptoms, there’s no clear evidence to suggest whether or how quickly it will work. We suggest trying it as an adjunct, rather than as a replacement, for other symptom management strategies that are effective for you.
Cranberry juice can be a wonderful addition to your diet and cranberry juice may benefit males as well as females. Most people can drink it daily in moderation, but you should keep in mind the sugar content and how it fits into your overall healthy balanced diet.
Here are some ways cranberry juice may benefit you if you drink it regularly:
Heart disease is the biggest cause of death among males and females in the US (13). In a study from 2015, researchers wanted to see if drinking low-calorie cranberry juice could help lower the risk of heart problems. They tested 30 women and 26 men.
Some drank a cup (or eight ounces) of low-calorie cranberry juice twice a day for eight weeks, while others had a pretend juice that looked and tasted the same but lacked the cranberry benefits.
After the study, they found that those who drank the real cranberry juice had better results. Their blood lipids, inflammation markers, blood pressure, and fasting blood sugar levels went down more than those who drank the pretend juice. This suggests that low-calorie cranberry juice may be good for your heart health (8).
Cranberry juice is rich in vitamin C. This can help to keep your immune system healthy and functional. The bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties are associated with immune support. A study published in the Nutrition Journal found that a cranberry beverage helped reduce reported cold and flu symptoms (11). This doesn’t mean that you won’t catch the flu if you consume cranberry juice, but the illness may not be as severe as it could otherwise have been.
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Cranberry juice may benefit the stomach by preventing the growth of a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. This bacteria can cause stomach ulcers (16).
Evidence of the digestive benefits of cranberry juices was reported in a review in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (2). The study mentioned that stopping the growth of a bacteria called H. pylori in the stomach could be beneficial. The researchers also said that more studies are required to learn more about how cranberry juice helps digestive health.
The benefits of cranberry juice apply to both men and women. It should be noted that you should practice moderation when adding cranberry juice to your diet. One cranberry juice side effect stated by NCCIH is that it can upset your stomach or cause diarrhea if it is consumed in large amounts (5).
Try to create a comprehensive plan to improve your health. In addition to cranberry juice, you can include more whole fruits and vegetables to take your nutrition to a whole new level.
Cranberry juice may offer several benefits to the female body. We have discussed earlier that it has multiple potential benefits, including:
Adding cranberry juice to a balanced diet can provide a positive twist to female health. Not only this, but the antioxidant intake may also benefit the skin. These are the reasons why more women are adding it to their diet plans. If you aim to do so too, you should consume it in moderation and choose varieties that have no added sugars to maximize the health benefits.
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Drinking cranberry juice is good at any time. It may help stop bacteria from sticking to your bladder walls. When those bacteria can’t stick, they’re more likely to get flushed out when you pee. But here’s the trick: make sure you’re sipping on 100% pure cranberry juice for the best results. The sugary or watered-down stuff won’t give you the same benefits.
Cranberry juice offers many health benefits, but it may be unsafe to consume it if you have heartburn, kidney stones, diabetes, an allergy to cranberries, or certain other medical conditions. You should talk to your healthcare provider for individualized advice.
Cranberry juice isn’t typically associated with sleep promotion. While it contains some nutrients such as vitamin C and antioxidants, there’s no direct evidence that suggests that drinking cranberry juice before bed can help improve sleep quality or induce sleep.
Cranberry juice is a safe addition to many people’s diets. You may come across some rumors when researching it, but it’s important to check all the facts and talk to a healthcare professional before you decide on the amount of consumption. If you’re taking medicines, particularly blood thinners, you should speak to your doctor about the potential side effects of cranberry juice.
When shopping, you should always check the labels and ingredients to ensure you’re opting for a juice with limited or zero added sugars. Doing your homework about your nutrition always pays off in the long term.
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