Does cranberry juice have the same benefits as cranberry pills or capsules?

Answer 1

Cranberry Concentrate Unsweetened, Tree Of Life or Hain's brand is my secret weapon for bladder infections. Cranberry juice or frozen cranberry concentrate is NOT the same thing. This concentrated stuff is often not on the juice shelf. It may be in with the nutritional supplements. Cranberry juice in general (concentrated or juice) makes the inside of the bladder wall slicker so bacteria can't stick to it. It also helps to tighten urethral sphincter muscles so you don't dribble-a very annoying problem as many of you already know! You'd have to drink a couple of gallons of Cranberry juice off the shelf to get the same affect as just two tablespoons of this stuff. Plus, you'd be ingesting so much sugar that if your bladder infection had anything to do with yeast, the sugar would feed it. I put this concentrated stuff in a shot glass, down it, and then chase it with an ounce or two of plain water. The chaser turns the acrid flavor instantly sweet and is therefore more tolerable. Repeat the treatment for about a week. If that doesn't do the trick, you are on the wrong track. Note: I've noticed that the cranberry capsules are not near as effective as the concentrate. Other ways to use the stuff are to put some in your smoothies every once in a while as a preventative. I also purchase a couple extra bags of fresh cranberries during this time of the year to store in the freezer so I can toss a handful of them into my smoothies occasionally as a preventative.

Answer 2

No. A strictly diet (0 calorie) beverage can't contain fruit, and is therefore just artificially sweetened water with no benefits of cranberry. Reduced-calorie cranberry juice may contain some cranberry, but must be watered down in some way to reduce the calories. Less cranberry= less benefit. To get as much benefit from reduced-calorie cranberry juice, you'd have to consume more to make up for the amount that the juice has been watered down by. If the reduced calorie juice is 25% juice, you'd need to consume 4 glasses to get as much cranberry as is in a 100% glass of juice. This means drinking much more fluid and consuming as many, if not more calories.

Answer 3

Cranberry pills are specialized, but cranberry juice is for someone who doesn't need the effect as much but likes the taste.