In any given pharmacy, health food aisle of a grocery store, or online marketplace, there’s an overwhelming selection of cranberry supplements. And that leads to a few questions:
What are the benefits of cranberry supplements?
Are they all the same?
What should you look for in a cranberry supplement?
This blog tackles the top cranberry supplement-related questions and serves as your guide to separate the best cranberry supplement from the rest.
What are the benefits of cranberry supplements?
Cranberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and other plant nutrients that are great for your overall health.* But over the years, it’s become more and more evident that cranberries are particularly beneficial for urinary tract health.* In fact, cranberry is recommended by the American Urological Association (AUA) for recurrent UTI prevention.* Now that speaks volumes to the power of cranberry.
How do you choose the best cranberry supplement?
If you’re searching for the best cranberry supplement to add to your daily routine, here’s what to look for:
1. Proanthocyanidin (PAC) Content
PACs are natural chemical compounds that give many plants their red, blue, or purple hues – think grapes, blueberries, red cabbage, and strawberries. As a bright red fruit, cranberries are rich in PACs, too.
But there’s something extra special about cranberries. They’re the only fruit known to contain soluble A-type PACs – your defense against UTI-causing bacteria.* Soluble A-type PACs have high anti-adhesion activity, which means they prevent certain bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract. Research shows that you need at least 36 mg of these PACs to support urinary tract health.*
So, when it comes to choosing a cranberry supplement, the proof is in the PACs. Be sure to pick a cranberry supplement that discloses its PAC content, and look for the magic number: 36 mg of soluble PACs per daily dose.
2. 500 mg of Cranberry Powder
PACs play a huge role in urinary tract health, but the combination of 36 mg of soluble PACs and 500 mg of cranberry powder may be even more beneficial.* The FDA has concluded that 500 mg of cranberry powder each day can help reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs in healthy women.**
3. No Added Sugar
Cranberries are a naturally tart fruit, so some cranberry products add sugar to make them more palatable. While some added sugar has a place in your diet, it shouldn’t have a place in your supplements. Look for a pure cranberry supplement without any added sweeteners.
4. NSF Tested & Certified
Remember: when you’re choosing a supplement, what’s on the inside matters most.
Most of the time, dietary supplements aren’t required to go through any testing before they hit the market. That can make it hard to determine if what’s on the supplement facts panel matches what’s actually in the product.
Your best bet: Choose a cranberry product that’s independently tested and certified. But keep in mind that not all third-party testing is created equal. Look for a cranberry supplement that’s tested and certified by a trusted organization, like NSF International. They’re a global leader in public health and safety, and their rigorous dietary supplement testing program makes sure each product that bears the NSF mark has everything it should, and nothing it shouldn’t.
There’s no shortage of cranberry supplements on the market. But when you’re looking for a top-rated, high-quality cranberry product that checks all the boxes, there’s only one. TheraCran One provides 500 mg of cranberry powder and 36 mg of PACs per capsule, and no added sugar. And with virtually no vitamin K or oxalates, it’s a great option for those monitoring their intake of these nutrients. Plus, it’s the only cranberry supplement that’s independently tested and certified by NSF International for purity and soluble PAC content. Choosing the best cranberry supplement just got a whole lot easier.
**Limited scientific evidence shows that by consuming 500 mg each day of cranberry dietary supplement, healthy women who have had a urinary tract infection (UTI) may reduce their risk of recurrent UTI.