Product Reviews - Cranberry Juice in a Monkey Cup!

Cranberry juice is a favorite of our daughter who insists on drinking it in her favorite monkey cup! We get the no sugar added, 100% juice from our local Publix supermarket. There are many different types available, although we tend to pick either the pure cranberry juice or cranberry & blueberry blend.

It is commonly believed that cranberry juice prevents urinary tract infections (UTIs), but the science behind this belief has not been that strong. Recently, a team of researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts has shown that drinking cranberry juice can prevent UTI causing bacteria such as E. coli from sticking to the urinary tract and forming a biofilm in it. Bacteria present in a biofilm are responsible for causing and sustaining a UTI. There are certain chemical compounds called proanthocyanidin in cranberry juice which have been shown to prevent these bacteria from sticking to surfaces. This effect of cranberry juice is thought to last between 6 – 24 hours after drinking.

Here is what we like about this product -

No sugar added, artificial flavors or colors
Added vitamin C

Here is what we don’t like about this product -

Even without added sugar, each serving of 1 cup has 36 g sugar! Granted it is coming from fruits, but clearly loading up on cranberry juice is sure to interfere with normal foods including real fruits and veggies. Portion control is a must! Or dilute it with water.
It contains a blend of various juices including grape, apple, cranberry and blueberry juice. It is not clear if cranberry juice is the major portion of the mixture.

Overall, we still like this product because it offers more benefits compared to other fruit juices. However we are recommending that you use it in moderation and emphasize real fruits and veggies.

Disclaimer – I have not received any sponsorship or free samples of product from OceanSpray for writing this review. For complete nutritional information and other products, visit OceanSpray’s website.