LAKEVILLE, Mass. & MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the 38 percent1 of those who vowed to be healthier in 2015, there’s welcome news: cranberry juice can be a great tasting way to stick to your New Year’s resolutions. A recent peer-reviewed study, published in Nutrition Research, shows cranberry juice drinkers had lower levels of C-reactive protein,2 a marker of inflammation, and better overall heart health. The findings bolster the broader scientific literature that’s setting cranberry juice apart as a great tasting beverage that can provide whole body benefits and be part of a healthy diet.
Using the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for US adults (aged 19 and older), researchers compared consumers who drink an average of about two servings of cranberry juice per day - roughly 14 fl. oz. - over two non-consecutive days with those who do not. They pooled four years’ of data to determine if there were differences between groups.
An Exception to the Rule
Interestingly, what they found was that regular cranberry juice consumers did not have higher body weight or even an increased likelihood for becoming overweight. Nor did cranberry juice drinkers consume more calories than those who didn’t drink cranberry juice.
This is an important finding to underscore as the government prepares to release the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While some advocate for limiting added sugars, this study positions cranberry juice as an exception to the rule. The results reinforce previous findings that point to cardiovascular health benefits from cranberry juice, while also underscoring a link between cranberry juice consumption and total health.
“Cranberry beverages may be inappropriately associated with contributing to increased weight or diabetes risk,” said Kiyah J. Duffey, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, first author on the paper. “In actuality, mounting evidence suggests quite the opposite. Packed with polyphenols, like flavonoids, cranberry juice may contribute to improved cardiovascular health.”
A Glass Full of Benefits
Cranberry products play an important role in helping Americans meet their recommended daily fruit intake, in all forms – juice, dried or fresh. Long known for its role in protecting urinary tract health, the new study1 suggests that drinking a glass of cranberry juice could also help protect the heart. Each 8 oz. glass of cranberry juice is packed with polyphenols—micronutrients that may protect against heart disease—as well as the unique PACs that help cleanse and purify the body. The study also reinforces the findings that cranberry juice might be of most benefit for individuals who are susceptible to recurrent UTI’s.
For more information on the health benefits of cranberries, visit www.cranberryhealth.com.
About Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry and grapefruit growers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. Formed in 1930, Ocean Spray is now the world’s leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries and is the best-selling brand in the North American bottled juice category. The cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 90 countries worldwide. With more than 2,000 employees and nearly 20 cranberry receiving and processing facilities, Ocean Spray is committed to managing our business in a way that respects our communities, employees and the environment. In fiscal year 2013, Ocean Spray posted gross sales of $2.2 billion and net proceeds of $380 million. For more information visit www.oceanspray.com or our corporate blog at www.insidethecranberry.com.
1 “Marist Poll: Turning Over a New Leaf in 2014?” Marist College Institute for Public Opinion (2014), http://tinyurl.com/kpbhjdt
2 Duffey KJ, Sutherland LA. “Adult consumers of cranberry juice cocktail have lower C-reactive protein levels compared with nonconsumers.” Nutr Res (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2014.11.005
