Cranberry: Nutritional Support for the Urinary System
Cranberry, a close relative of the blueberry, has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Cranberries include many substances scientists have learned promote good health, such as the following:
•Proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which restrain bacterial colonization, thus inhibiting bladder and urinary tract infections
•Organic acids — quinic, malic, and citric acids — that acidify the urine, thus preventing the formation of kidney stones
•Vitamins and minerals (especially vitamins A and C) that act as antioxidants and promote whole-body health
Fight Urinary Tract Infections Perhaps cranberry’s most well-known use is for urinary tract infections (UTI). UTIs affect nearly one out of every two women at some point during their lifetimes. UTIs result in 5 million doctor visits each year and are often treated with antibiotics. The proanthocyanidins in cranberry prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, keeping it from spreading and making it easier to flush the bacteria out of the system with urine.
The quinic acid in cranberry helps acidify the urine, which in turn lowers the level of ionized calcium, the most common cause of kidney stones. Concentrated Cranberry Powder Our concentrated cranberry contains the equivalent of 34 pounds of whole cranberries in each pound of cranberry powder. The cranberry powder consist of 100 percent cranberry fruit solids and contains a perfect balance of naturally occurring organic acids in their synergistic ratios. Unlike cranberry juice cocktail products, our cranberry concentrate contains no sugar.
