Cranberry juice is nutritious and has a number of other health benefits. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals. But is it safe to drink it during pregnancy?
Cranberry Juice its health benefits
Cranberries and its juice form are rich in vitamins and minerals. They have vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K1, Manganese, and copper. It is a good source of water and also beneficial in urinary tract infections. It prevents the bacteria from sticking to the walls of the ureter and urinary bladder. Hence, harmful pathogens are unable to grow and get flushed out.
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| Cranberry juice [Source: Medical News Today] |
The red berries are also rich in antioxidants called Polyphenols. These are also present in the juices of cranberry. They act on the nervous system and brain. They boost brain activity and are also good for the heart. Though whole cranberries are rich in fiber, the juice of it does not contain fiber. Thus to overcome constipation issues, whole cranberries should be consumed and not the juice form of it. A study conducted in non-pregnant women found that cranberry juice helped overcome the acid reflux caused by H.pylori pathogens. Hence, it could be used as a supplementary treatment for this disorder.
Cranberry juice and pregnancy
Studies have revealed that cranberry juice is safe in pregnancy. A study done in 2013 revealed that out of 68000 pregnant ladies studied, 919 has consumed cranberry juice during pregnancy. They were all normal and had normal pregnancies. Besides, there was no harm noted in their offsprings due to the use of the juice during the said pregnancy. Thus cranberry is safe during pregnancy in juice form.
As regards the potential of cranberry juice to prevent UTI in pregnancy, there is a 2008 study. Pregnant ladies have a lax urinary bladder wall and have higher chances of UTIs. The study compared the UTIs and bacterial shedding in urine in pregnant women who took cranberry juice and those who had a placebo. 188 pregnant women with a pregnancy of less than or equal to 16 weeks gestation were studied. It was found that pregnant women who consumed 240 ml of cranberry juice per day had a 57% reduction in bacteria in their urine. Besides this, the researchers also found that they had 41% fewer UTIs.
Though it can decrease the incidence of UTI in pregnancy, it cannot treat the UTI. Hence one should seek proper medical consultation for UTI and not rely on cranberry juice as a herbal remedy for it.
But caution...
But the pregnant women should take note of the fact that most of the cranberry juices have other juices mixed with it to sweeten it. Hence the juice may have a higher content of sugar in it. This could lead to gestational diabetes in mothers. Hence prefer to consume an unsweetened and pure form of cranberry juice.
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| Unsweetened pure cranberry juice [Source: King Soopers] |
If you do not like the taste of the pure cranberry juice, you can mix it with fruit and vegetable smoothies to mask the taste. Or you can also use natural sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit sweeteners.
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