Urinary tract infections are no picnic. To get rid of it as quickly as possible, everyone knows the good old remedy of cranberry (or cranberry) juice. But according to researchers at Yale University School of Medicine in the United States, this is a myth:there is no evidence to show that the fruit can fight infections of the bladder and kidneys in women, including cystitis. To reach such a conclusion, two groups of people in nursing homes – where urinary tract infections are common – received a different treatment:the first group of women were given a capsule of cranberry juice (equivalent to a half liter of the mixture), and the second a placebo.
Over the year, experience has shown that the cranberry treatment did not change the presence of white blood cells or bacteria in the women's urine, a clear sign of a urinary tract infection. There was also no reduction in the number of bladder problems experienced by women in the nursing home. Dr Manisha Juthani-Mehta who conducted the study tells The Independent :“Several studies around cranberry products have been carried out over the past decades, with conflicting evidence of the usefulness of the fruit in the prevention of urinary tract infections. The results leaned towards the conclusion that these products do not prevent infection ". His colleague, doctor Dr Lindsay Nicolle confirmed:“The constant promotion of the use of cranberry products exceeds all available scientific evidence and rational reasoning […] It is time to find other potential approaches to remedy to urinary tract infections. We have to stop with the cranberry. It couldn't be any clearer!
Remember, however, the fruit still has many benefits:it contains flavonoids that have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and is anti-inflammatory, which helps maintain good cholesterol and lowers blood pressure. So we can continue to drink it in peace...
