Immune & Recovery

Cranberries

A tart, deep-red berry studied for compounds that may prevent certain bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract lining.

Immunity

Detox

Skin Health

Serving

1 cup, raw (100g)

Calories Per Serving

Key nutrients

Proanthocyanidins, vitamin C, fiber

Nutrient density

Why it’s worth eating

Cranberries are rich in vitamin C and proanthocyanidins, which support urinary tract health. Enjoy cranberries dried, in juices, or add them to muffins and trail mix.

What you may notice

Urinary comfort
Digestive comfort

Markers worth tracking

Vitamin C status
Urinalysis (if recurrent UTIs are a concern)

How to eat it

Choose fresh, frozen, or unsweetened dried/juice, most commercial cranberry products are loaded with added sugar, which dilutes the benefit.

Pairs well with

Vitamin C foods, complements cranberry's own vitamin C content
Water, adequate hydration is part of how cranberry's urinary tract benefits are thought to work

Storage

Refrigerate fresh cranberries for up to a month, or freeze for up to a year.

The numbers, per 1 cup, raw (100g)

Vitamin K

Vitamin A

15%

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

Magnesium

Potassium

Vitamin B12

Vitamin D

Fiber

3.6g

Cranberries, raw (FDC 171722)

Evidence

Benefit is real but conditional on adequate proanthocyanidin dose, and confined to prevention in at-risk groups rather than treatment.

Study dose vs. serving

At least 36 mg/day proanthocyanidins cut UTI risk 18% (RR 0.82). Below 36 mg there was no significant effect. Dose-critical.

Xiong Z, Gao Y, Yuan C, et al. Front Nutr. 2024. PMID 39668896. Meta-analysis of 10 RCTs.

Use caution if

You take warfarin, cranberry in large or concentrated amounts (juice, extract) may interact with anticoagulants
You're prone to kidney stones, cranberries contain oxalates

Details

Type

Fruits & Veg

Season

Autumn (Sep-Nov)

Forms

Fresh, frozen, dried, juice, capsule

Price

Mid

Bioactive

A-type proanthocyanidins (anti-adhesion of P-fimbriated E. coli)

Heat stable