Cranberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon
Fruits. Native American and Modern nutrition.
Also called American cranberry, Large cranberry, Mossberry
Spanish: Arándano rojo
Can affect warfarinA tart red berry of North American bogs that may lower the risk of repeat bladder infections in some women.
Did you know? Cranberries float because they hold air pockets, which is why growers flood bogs with water to harvest them.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Kidneys, bladder & UTIs. A 2023 Cochrane review found about a quarter fewer repeat UTIs in women with recurring infections. The effect is modest and the evidence is not strong. It does not treat an active infection.Early proof
- Infections. Lab work shows cranberry compounds can block some bacteria from sticking to bladder walls. That is not proof it fights infection in people.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Native peoples ate the berries and used them in wound care. The bladder use is mostly modern.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Nutritive. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Trials used about 36 mg of PAC compounds a day, often from capsules or an 8-ounce glass of unsweetened juice. Sweetened juice cocktail has much less of the active part and a lot of sugar.
Juice, capsule, tablet and food.
Where to get it
Grows in acidic bogs and marshes of northeastern and Great Lakes North America. Grown on farms in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Canada. Sold fresh, dried, as juice, and as capsules or tablets.
Be careful
Generally safe as food. Juice can cause stomach upset and is high in sugar. It may raise INR in people on warfarin. People with a history of kidney stones should be cautious, since cranberry is high in oxalate.
Avoid if: kidney stones.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both are used for urinary complaints, though cranberry has better trial support.
- Works well together
Some people combine them for urinary and vaginal health, though proof for the mix is limited.
- Use cautionBlood thinners (warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto, Plavix, daily aspirin)
Can raise INR in people on warfarin. Reports are mixed, but check your INR if you drink lots of juice or take concentrated capsules.
The honest take
Cranberry is a good food, and a 2023 Cochrane review found it may cut repeat UTIs by about a quarter in women with recurring infections. It does not treat an active infection and has no clear benefit for older adults in care homes, pregnant women, or people with certain bladder problems. Sweetened cranberry drinks are mostly sugar.