Cranberries During Pregnancy – Top Benefits, And Risks

When Can Pregnant Women Eat Cranberries?

During pregnancy, incorporating cranberries helps to offer various benefits due to their high nutritional content, specifically vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. Cranberries, prepared in various forms, greatly add flavor, nutrients, and health benefits. Consuming cranberry juice in moderate amounts before the main meals (at least 30 minutes before) reduces the incidence and further complications of any bacterial infection.

What is The Goodness of Cranberries For Pregnant Women?

Pregnancy is the time that demands for optimum nutrition coming from a healthy and balanced diet. Fruits help in healthy fetal growth and help you stay away from common pregnancy infections. Cranberry is known to reduce the risk of UTIs due to the presence of proanthocyanidins and fructose.

Not just this, various research studies have shown benefits in maintaining dental hygiene, and edema, preventing dehydration, reducing inflammation, and many more. If consumed in dried form, helps to boost immunity and decreases hypertensive symptoms to a great extent.

Precautions to Take While Having Cranberries During Pregnancy

Before starting to consume cranberries, one must refer to a registered dietitian or doctor to understand as health permits. A minor study conducted in 2015 implicits that taking cranberry capsules may have the same effect on UTIs during pregnancy instead of drinking gallons of cranberry juice though research is needed and therefore one should take precautions when taking any supplements while pregnant (2).

Cranberry capsules and other natural supplements are monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but it’s important to choose high-quality supplements that are third-party tested for purity and for this one must speak with a doctor or specialist before starting.

Can Pregnant Women Drink Cranberry Juice?

Cranberry juice is considered safe during pregnancy, as it is an excellent diuretic and helps prevent urinary tract infections, which are common in pregnant women. Because of the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols, and antioxidants, cranberry juice is an excellent nourishment for both the mother and the growing baby.

Top 5 Health Benefits of Cranberries During Pregnancy

Cranberries and cranberry juice are an excellent addition to your pregnancy diet. Apart from helping with UTIs, cranberries also have many other benefits. Here are a few of them. 

1. Treats Inflammation

Inflammation is normally part of the body’s response to infection, chronic stress, or obesity. During pregnancy, it is seen that heightened or chronic inflammation increases the risk of mental illness or brain development problems in children. A study conducted at OHSU in Portland proves the link between inflammations during pregnancy and its adverse effects on the newborn brain which is organized into networks (3). Cranberries provide antioxidants that protect the body from cell damage (certain or uncertain) caused by inflammation by chelating free radicals (4).

2. Improves Immunity

Pregnancy is a time when many women face low immunity (5). Major adaptations occur in the maternal immune system to protect both the mother and her future baby from pathogens. Cranberries help in boosting immunity because of the presence of proanthocyanidins and Vitamin C. Moreover, the polyphenols present in cranberries stop bacterial accumulation in the gut lining, thus defending the body against diseases (6).

3. Prevents UTIs

During pregnancy, certain changes are observed in the urinary tract both physiologically and immunologically. The growing uterus presses against the bladder and blocks the drainage of urine leading to UTIs (7). Cranberries and cranberry juice are known for their benefits in promoting better health of the urinary tract. The antioxidants, specifically flavonoids present in cranberries help in flushing out the bacteria thereby reducing the chance of UTIs.

4. Prevents Edema

Edema or water retention is a common concern for pregnant women. Because of the increasing belly weight, it is common to experience swollen feet, especially during the last months of pregnancy. Being an excellent diuretic, cranberry juice can help in reducing water retention.

5. Helps Maintain Blood Pressure

Cranberry juice plays a significant role in the blood pressure of individuals with abnormal blood pressure levels especially for pregnant women. The flavonoid in cranberry juice dilates or ‘softens’ the arteries thereby increasing the blood flow through them. This restores normal blood flow and the blood pressure returns to its optimal state.

Side Effects of Cranberries During Pregnancy

Cranberries can greatly help in reducing pregnancy-related complications. However, moderation is always the key, because consuming too many cranberries is also associated with some risks like

• Excess consumption of cranberry juice can cause diarrhea (8).
• Excess intake of cranberry tablets or capsules increases the risk of kidney stones (8a).
• Women with existing liver conditions, gastritis, or stomach ulcers should not consume cranberries in any form.
• The acid present in cranberry might cause discomfort acid reflux or heartburn, which are common issues during pregnancy.

Cranberries are an excellent option to include in your healthy pregnancy diet. They not only act as diuretics but also help boost your immunity levels during pregnancy. However, anything in too much is harmful and hence it is always advisable to consult your doctor about the quantity of cranberries you can have during pregnancy.

FAQ’s

1. Who Should Not Eat Cranberries During Pregnancy?

Pregnant ladies suffering from gestational diabetes or predisposed to nephrolithiasis or taking medications containing warfarin used for blood thinning negatively affect this beautiful journey. So it is better to avoid combining cranberries with these medications.

2. Is it Okay to Eat Cranberries at Night?

Yes. This super red delicious fruit is rich in melatonin popularly known as sleep hormone. Many times even people consume cranberry juice 45 minutes before bedtime so that it helps to go to sleep earlier and better than before.

References:

1. Cranberries for treating urinary tract infections – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7025796/]
2. Pilot Study to Evaluate Compliance and Tolerability of Cranberry Capsules in Pregnancy for the Prevention of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642828/]
3. Study confirms that inflammation during pregnancy is linked to baby’s brain – [https://news.ohsu.edu/2018/04/09/study-confirms-that-inflammation-during-pregnancy-is-linked-to-babys-brain]
4. Neuroprotective Effect of Antioxidants in the Brain – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7582347/]
5. The Immune System in Pregnancy: A Unique Complexity – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3025805/]
6. Effect of Cranberry Polyphenols and Metabolites on Microbial Activity and Impact on Urinary Tract Health – [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128130087000084]
7. Urinary Tract Infection in Pregnancy – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537047/]
8. Safety of Cranberry: Evaluation of Evidence of Kidney Stone Formation and Botanical Drug-Interactions – [https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/a-1497-6241]