Research Finds Cranberries are an Effective Approach to Help Reduce Antibiotic Use

Global experts at the International Conference on Polyphenols and
Health discussed how cranberries may be a nutritional approach to reduce
antibiotic use and support whole-body health.

TOURS, France–(BUSINESS WIRE)–An international team of scientists presented new evidence showing how
cranberries are poised to be a compelling tool to help reduce antibiotic
resistance and oxidative stress.

Reporting at the International Conference on Polyphenols and Health
(ICPH) last Friday, the scientists revealed the growing evidence on how
cranberries can help curb recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), the
second most common type of infection in the body (Source).
A lower number of infections would mean less use of antibiotics and less
risk of developing antibiotic resistance. In addition, they touched on
how the unique blend of polyphenol antioxidants – provided by
cranberries – may assist in preserving heart and cognitive health, and
protect against oxidative stress to help promote overall well-being.

“We have long believed in the urinary tract health benefits that
cranberries provide,” said Kalpana Gupta, MD, MPH, chief of Infectious
Diseases at Boston Healthcare System and professor of medicine at Boston
University School of Medicine, “but this new research reveals just how
wide-ranging those benefits can be.”

Cranberry: Helping to Curb Antibiotic Resistance and Promote Overall
Health

Approximately 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men will experience
at least one symptomatic urinary tract infection during their lifetime (Source),
which underscores why one of the world’s most pressing public health
problems is antibiotic resistance, according to the World Health
Organization. In Europe alone, an estimated 400,000 people a year are
infected with a resistant strain of bacteria. (Source: WHO).
And in the United States, at least 2 million people are infected with
bacteria that are antibiotic resistant (Source: CDC).
Sometimes these seemingly simple infections can lead to complications,
which may have been preventable.

Dr. Gupta highlighted that rising resistance across multiple classes of
drugs has made oral options for UTIs often limited and sometimes
nonexistent. The results from clinical trials suggest that cranberry may
reduce the incidence of symptomatic UTI.

Christina Khoo, PhD, director of Research Sciences at Ocean Spray, built
upon this issue, sharing how unique cranberry elements make it a
powerful and, importantly, nutritional approach that can provide
benefits across the entire body. Imagine managing reoccurring ailments,
such as UTI, with cranberry as opposed to an antibiotic – it just might
be possible.

Leveraging the Power of Cranberry to Stem Oxidative Stress and
Support Heart and Cognitive Health

Among its list of healthy attributes is the cranberry’s ability to
support cardiovascular and cognitive health. Peter Howe, PhD, professor
at the University of Newcastle in Australia, presented research
explaining how polyphenols, like those found in cranberries that help
keep bacteria from attaching to cells, have been linked to better blood
flow, which could help improve overall cardiovascular health as well as
cognitive function.

Luis Goya, PhD, research investigator with the Department of Metabolism
and Nutrition at the Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition
(ICTAN-CSIC) in Madrid, added to Dr. Howe’s presentation and discussed
those important cranberry components and how they may protect against
oxidative stress, which might help improve the body’s ability to fight
the harmful effects of stress.

“Based on emerging science, cranberries can be a vital nutritional asset
to address global health issues, particularly as more people look to
holistic approaches for healing,” said Dr. Howe. “I’m pleased to be part
of this international team of experts to present the latest scientific
findings and to assess opportunities for continued discovery.”

The Future is Fruitful

Cranberries play an important role in helping people meet their
recommended fruit intake, and the science presented during the ICPH
conference further underscores that cranberries are powerful and may
provide whole-body health benefits. This new research also builds on
other recent findings that revealed drinking cranberry juice cocktail
may help manage risks associated with heart disease, diabetes and
stroke. (Source
1 and Source
2). The future is fruitful for cranberry and, more importantly, for
those who can benefit from its nutritional elements.

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 100 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.
For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com
or www.oceanspray.coop.

Contacts

Weber Shandwick, for Ocean Spray
Morgan Jones, 202-585-2052
mjones@webershandwick.com