ENCORE: The Health Benefits of Cranberries, Part 1

Recently, the press parroted the results of a “Journal of the American Medical Association” research paper that concluded that cranberry doesn’t work to prevent UTIs. “It’s time to move on [to antibiotics],” a JAMA editorial proclaimed. The media message: “The Cure for UTIs? It’s not Cranberries.” Dr. Amy Howell, for over 2 decades a research scientist at Rutgers University’s Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research, pushes back against these unwarranted conclusions. She dissects the JAMA article, and finds it far from conclusive—in fact highly flawed. Why did JAMA publish an article so lacking in scientific rigor? Does it reflect an inherent bias against supplements and natural modalities? What previous research supports the preventive effects of cranberry extracts and juice against UTIs? What are proanthocyanidins? What forms of cranberry are best, and how much do you need to take? What other benefits do cranberries confer for the gut, the brain, the circulatory system, for immunity, even against cancer? The take home message is to be wary of dumbed-down, unbalanced media accounts; cranberries deliver many health dividends. Click HERE for part 2.