Cranberry juice is a rich source of various vitamins and important micro-nutrients. Its nutritional value is tremendous and in this article, we will know more about it.
Cranberry is one of the most important commercial crops of the United States. Almost all cranberries are used to prepare juice, sauce and dried cranberries. Cranberry juices are particularly popular in the United States, owing to a large number of health benefits. The crux of this article is to discuss the the nutrition facts. The amount of calories in cranberry juice is 55, when measured for half a cup.
Nutritional Facts
The table below lists the nutritional value inherent in cranberry juice. The nutrition facts and analysis has been done for 1 cup (approximately 95 gm) and the contents mentioned here are in approximations.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
12.6 mg
Thiamin
0.011mg
Riboflavin
0.019 mg
Niacin
0.096 mg
Vitamin B6
0.054 mg
Vitamin K
5.1 mcg
*
Vitamin A
57 IU
#
Vitamin E
1.20 mg
Minerals
Calcium
8 mg
Iron
0.24 mg
Magnesium
6 mg
Zinc
0.10 mg
Sodium
2 mg
Phosphorus
12 mg
Potassium
81 mg
Beta Carotene
36 mcg
Fats
Total Fat Content
0.12 g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.017 g
Polyunsaturated
0.052 g
Cholesterol
0 g
Other Macro Nutrients
Water
82 g
Sugar
3.84 g
Protein
0.37 g
Carbohydrate
11.59 g
*- micro gram, #- International unit
Benefits
The above facts, must have given you some idea about the rich source of macro nutrients in the Cranberry juice. It has various health benefits, some of them are discussed below.
Detoxing Agent
Earlier, there was a confusion if cranberry juice helps in letting marijuana and related weeds out of the body. Well, the fact is it helps in the urination process and so drinking 3-4 glasses of the juice in a day for a period of 4-5 days helps the body to get cleansed of the marijuana. Besides these, cranberry juice detoxification is a popular method for improving skin and hair quality.
Preventing UTI Infections
Urinary tract infections, caused by bacteria are dangerous for the urinary bladder. The bacteria in the urinary tract needs an alkaline environment for thriving however, consuming cranberry juice raises the levels of hippuric acid in urine and the bacteria find it impossible to grow and multiply in such situations. Also, antioxidants present in it, help in strengthening the immune system against future bacterial attacks.
Preventing Kidney Stones
There has been a lot of debate on the topic 'Is cranberry juice effective in treating kidney stones?'. There are different schools of thought, when it comes to the relation between kidney stones and the juice.
Cranberry Juice and Women
Generally, women are more prone to diseases like osteoporosis and as cranberry juice is a good source of calcium, drinking it on a regular basis helps in making the bones strong. Also, being rich in organic acid, it helps in weight loss. It is found to be equally effective against UTI in women like it does for the urinary infections that occur in men.
Stomach Ulcers
Cranberry juice has the ability to destroy the bacteria, that are responsible for stomach ulcers. Drinking it occasionally can help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.
Heart Diseases
Polyphenols, the chemical compounds found in cranberry juices, help in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases by balancing the good and bad cholesterol levels in the body.
Cranberry juice is good for health, however, one should avoid overdoses of the juice. According to doctors, two glasses for adults and one glass for children per day dosage, is good enough to impart the necessary health benefits.
