Cranberry

American Cranberry; Arandano; Mossberry; Vaccinium macrocarpon; Vaccinium species

... Cranberries and cranberry juice have long been thought to fight urinary tract infections (UTIs). In the 1800s, early researchers believed that cranberry products made the urine acidic, thereby killing organisms that need alkaline urine to survive. However, approximately 4 quarts of cranberry juice or about 3 pounds of cranberries per day would be needed to maintain an acid level high enough to kill bacteria in the bladder. Today, it is believed that chemicals in cranberries prevent infective organisms from attaching to the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. The ability of cranberries to eliminate already-attached bacteria is limited, so cranberry products are more effective at preventing UTIs than treating them. Studies have shown that drinking between one ounce and 10 ounces of cranberry juice per day can help prevent UTIs from returning in women who are prone to having UTIs. Cranberry may also reduce the ammonia smell of urine by reducing the number of both bacteria and white blood cells in it. ...

?Cranberry Cranberry fruit Scientific classification Kingdom: P ...