Does cranberry juice really help prevent urinary tract infections? – GOOD SHAPE

You may have heard this popular wisdom out there: if you suffer from frequent urinary infections, you need to drink cranberry juice. It is because of this common sense that today we are going to understand better why this little fruit is talked about so much to take care of the kidneys.

WHAT IS CRANBERRY?

To start the conversation, let’s understand what is essential: the cranberry is a red fruit typical of North America, very rich in antioxidants and with bactericidal action.

Second Andrea Maciel Arantesnutritionist specialist in Integrative Care by Unifesp, as it is a typical fruit from the north of the continent, it is not often found in its natural form here in Brazil – the easiest thing is to find its version in juice, as dried or powdered fruit, since the plantation does not work well due to the climate of the country.

“Nutritionally, the juice is better than the fruit, but it is important to choose natural juices that provide the full benefits of this fruit”, he explains.

CRANBERRY VS. URINARY INFECTIONS

A few paragraphs above we talked about how one of the functions of this fruit is the bactericidal effect. This means that when it passes through the digestive system and reaches the kidneys, it prevents bacteria from lodging in the urinary tract, thus avoiding the dreaded infections.

“Like all red fruits, cranbery is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, so it can reduce inflammatory and infectious processes”, continues the nutritionist.

With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why you should put more cranberry juice in your diet, right? It is even possible to consume it weekly, since it is also a great source of vitamin C – but all of this, of course, without exaggeration. “Balance is part of good nutrition,” says the professional.