The Benefits of Cranberry Concentrate
Cranberry concentrate is a great way of getting the full benefits of cranberries without going through the trouble of drinking multiple cups of cranberry juice everyday. Studies have shown that cranberries have several beneficial effects on your overall health in general and on your mouth and urinary tract in specific.
Cranberry Concentrate as a Treatment for UTI
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are a common problem that many women face. UTI’s may arise from severe latent medical problems, so you should never attempt to treat UTI’s on your own. You should always consult a physician. Studies have found, however that cranberry concentrate may reduce the frequency with which UTI’s reappear in women who suffer from chronic versions of this condition.
How does it work? The current medical theory is that cranberry concentrate or juice, coats the surface of the urinary tract so that harmful bacteria slide right off it and are disposed of in the urine. One study for example shows that more than half of all older women suffering from UTI, found their urinary tract conditions significantly improved.
According to studies, cranberry concentrate continues to form a protective barrier for almost half of a day. This barrier not only protects the individual against UTI, but also other forms of infections and viruses—like E.coli, for example. In addition, in patients who have porous bladder walls that keep them from properly containing their urine, cranberry concentrate has a positive effect.
Cranberries and Heart Health
Recent studies also suggest that cranberry concentrate might have strong health benefits when it comes to the heart as well. As with many other kinds of fruits, it seems that the cranberry also has cholesterol-lowering effects, reducing the amount of build up in arteries and thus lowering blood pressure and ultimately your chances of having a heart attack.
Cranberries and Cancer
Some studies also suggest that cranberries may also help to prevent cancer. Researchers believe cranberries may have this cancer fighting quality because of the high level of antioxidants they pack. To understand how this might work you have to understand the way oncologists believe cancer develops. The notion is that cancer develops in cells after they have been somehow destabilized. The destabilizers, called free radicals, are certain kinds of unbalanced compounds that float in the blood looking for weak cells to unbalance as well. Free radicals are called “free” because they float around unattached to any host. Once a cell has lost stability, the theory goes, cancer cells have an easier time taking that cell over and turning it into a another cancer cell. If what science has started to discover turns out to be true, this could lead to completely new treatments for cancer.
Cranberries and Dental Health
Dentists have also found much to like in the tasty cranberry. Yet another recent study shows that one of the compounds in the cranberry—nondialysable material (NDM) may help to improve dental health by acting as a bacteria fighting warrior. Streptococcus mutans for example, one of the central culprits when it comes to mining holes in your teeth, seems to have a strong aversion to NDM. In a study, people brushing with NDM had far fewer S. mutans residing in their gums. The way dental researchers think this works is much the same way that cranberry concentrate cleans out the urinary tract. NDM seems to be able to find and root out bacteria colonies that have attached themselves in the nooks and crannies of the gum line.
Put simply, if laboratory studies carry over to the real world, your dentist might one day prescribe cranberry juice along with brushing every day.