I love cranberry juice! There’s nothing like the tangy, tart juice to start the day off right.
Cranberry juice isn’t as sweet as your other fruit juices. It’s actually a bit too tart for many people, but that’s why I love it. It gives you that kick that wakes you up and gets you ready for a day of work, and it’s perfect for my daily dose of Vitamin C.
I’ve recently discovered that cranberry juice is one of the healthiest juices for you, but not the stuff you buy in the store. That store-bought juice is mostly sugar, with most of the nutrients processed and pasteurized out. It’s usually made from concentrate, and it’s just not as healthy as the natural, fresh stuff.
When you make your own cranberry juice, you get that fresh, tangy taste that you just can’t help but love. All of the cranberry juice health benefits are there as well, and you’ll find that it’s an awesome drink to add to your day.
Top Health Benefits of Cranberry Juice
Here are the top cranberry juice health benefits:
Heal UTIs
Urinary tract infections are pretty common in this day and age, but they can be irritating and even painful. If you are worried about infections, try a bit of cranberry juice. The juice contains nutrients called proanthocyanidins, or PACs, which stop bacteria from binding to the walls of your bladder.
This effectively stops the infection in its place, and makes it easy for your body to get rid of the bacteria by flushing them out via your urine. It is often recommended for patients in the hospital, as it can prevent secondary bacterial infections.
Improve Heart Health
One of the best health benefits of cranberry juice is its ability to prevent heart disease. Cranberries contain flavonoids, which help to reduce your risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
You’ll find that drinking more cranberry juice can help to lower cholesterol levels while preventing plaque from forming on the walls of your arteries. Cranberries also are loaded with salicylic acid, which helps to prevent the clots that cause heart attacks and strokes.
Fight Tumors
Did you know that natural cranberry juice can fight tumors? The little berries contain antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which can help to stop the growth and spread of carcinogens. This means that you can effectively prevent the formation of tumors, and you’ll find that the little berries can fight against lung, colon, breast, prostate, and a number of other tumor types.
Improve Bone Health
I just discovered something new about cranberry juice: it’s a good source of calcium! Many juice manufacturers add extra calcium to fortify the cranberry juice, but the little berries are themselves a good source of calcium. You’ll find that drinking more cranberry juice will help to strengthen your bones, teeth, and nails.
Increase Oral Health
The antibacterial properties of cranberry juice can go a long way toward improving your oral health. If you drink natural cranberry juice (sans sugar), you get rid of the bacteria in your mouth without feeding them more sugar (what they need to grow).
The PACs in cranberries are also effective at preventing the bacteria in your mouth from clinging to the enamel of your teeth. If bacteria cannot grow on the enamel, your risk of cavities is much lower. The juice also stops the formation of plaque, thereby reducing your chance of developing periodontitis.
Boost Immunity
Vitamin C is one of the best antioxidants to improve your immune function, and cranberry juice is LOADED with Vitamin C. You’ll find that the PACs in the juice is also very effective at boosting your immune system, and the antibacterial properties of the fruit will help to fight off infections. Cranberry juice is even effective at dealing with and preventing the common cold and flu viruses.
Fight Aging
We’ve seen how cranberries are loaded with antioxidants and PACs, and it has long been established that these nutrients are effective at combating the effects of aging. Your body naturally tends to decline as it gets older, but the nutrients in the cranberry juice can stop the degeneration of brain cells, skin cells, and even organ tissue. The juice can stop age-related memory loss and motor function decline, and prevent the damage done to your body by free radicals.
Eliminate Peptic Ulcers
Most people don’t know that peptic ulcers are actually the result of a type of bacteria, called the H. pylori bacteria. It attacks the lining of your stomach, as well as the duodenum. The swelling in your stomach can lead to digestive problems, but thankfully you’ve got cranberry juice to deal with the problem!
Cranberry juice’s natural antibacterial properties will get rid of the H. pylori bacteria, and it will reduce your risk of developing the ulcers in the future.
Prevent Kidney Stones
Stones form in your kidney as a result of too much calcium, uric acid, and oxalic acid in your urine. However, cranberry juice contains high amounts of acids that can help to prevent the formation of these stones, thereby keeping your kidneys healthy!
Improve Skin Health
For the ladies, cranberry juice is one of the best juices on the shelf, hands down! The acid in cranberry juice acts as a skin toner, making it easy to get rid of all the oils on your skin and unclogging your pores. The Vitamin C in the juice will make your skin fresh and firm, even going so far as to increase the production of collagen and elastin. Cranberry juice can be used to treat acne, and it’s a great treatment to improve the health of your scalp.
I knew there was a reason I liked cranberry juice so much! If you want to give your body the nutrients it needs, it’s worth starting the day with a cup of this tangy juice.
Resources:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-cranberry-juice.html
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-benefits-of-cranberry-juice-for-skin-hair-and-health/
