A healthy vagina dictates a woman’s overall health. Eating foods and following a correct diet in order to get a healthy vagina is just as important as the well being of any other body part in a woman’s body. Vaginal health does not just limit to sex, it means having a healthy vagina irrespective of whether you’re sexually active or not. There are foods and juices which you can implement in your diet in order to save your vagina from UTIs and other infections and promote the health of your reproductive organs. One such healthy drink is cranberry juice.
What Is Cranberry Juice?
Native to North America, this plant known as cranberry is considered a superfood all over the world due it its rich nutritional profile. Full of goodness and antioxidants cranberry is a dwarf shrub that now grows from United States to Canadian farmlands. In India it is found in the western and southern parts. This wonderful fruit comes with multiple health benefits like aiding digestion and weight loss, building immunity, fighting off infections etc. It is also believed to benefit the vaginal health of women. Cranberries are crushed to extract their juice and this drink comes with benefits of its own.
Nutritional Value Of Cranberry Juice
As mentioned earlier Cranberry has a very packed nutritional profile as it contains fibre, vitamins and minerals.
100 grams of cranberry juice contains:
- 11 grams of fibre
- 54 calories
- 0.1 gram of fat
- 13.52 gram carbohydrates
- 14 mg potassium
- 7 mg vitamin C
- 2 mg sodium
Apart from this the juice contains variety of vitamins such as
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B6
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin E
And minerals like
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
- Iron
Cranberry Juice For Vaginal Health
The sour juice of cranberry is often said to harbor benefits for women, most of all. One of the most irritating and painful infection the women contract is UTI. And cranberry can help fight it off. As you may know a healthy vagina means you’re vagina should have a pH ranging from 3.8 to 4.5 and if you’re vagina is not able to maintain this pH due to any external or internal factors for too long, it gives bacteria the chance to thrive and cause problems for you ranging from discharge with bad odour to itching and Urinary tract infection also known as UTI. Luckily, for you, this fruit contains compounds which will help you in balancing your vagina’s pH levels and thus keep it in good health and free from unwanted itching and irritation.
The juice contains powerful acidic compounds which help in fighting off harmful bacteria and the antioxidants are known to be powerful infection fighters as well. If you’re someone who has a recurring issue of UTIs then including cranberry juice in your diet can prove helpful in creating a barrier against bacteria. While cranberries can help with this problem, be mindful of the type of juice you’re consuming as sweetened cranberry juice can make the matters worse for you down there. So opt for unsweetened one. The acidic compounds of the juice can help the bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall and hence helping you in treating UTI.
Regular consumption of this drink has other benefits for your vaginal health such as it supports postmenopausal health by reducing the hormones in menopausal women. So they might get some relief from hot flashes, vaginal dryness and night sweats.
Although there is a lack of scientific evidence on this part, but it is believed by some that drinking cranberry juice can also influence your sexual health as it improves the flavor of vaginal secretions.
Are There Proven Benefits Of Consuming Cranberry Juice For Vaginal Health?
Various studies conducted during the period from 2014 to 2016 suggested that cranberries helped women with recurring UTIs and medical professionals also recommended cranberry juice to women with UTIs. Another study showed that 516 participants were given cranberry juice twice everyday which significantly reduced the incidences of UTIs.
This happens because the antioxidants present in the fruit are quite high. The proanthocyanidins in the berries help prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls and in this way help in preventing the overall infection.
If a 2015 study is to be believed, it was found that more than cranberry juice, consuming the capsules made of cranberry had more effect in preventing infections.
Few years later in 2019 it was found that cranberry alone didn’t seem to get rid of the bacteria although when combined with caprylic acid which is derived from coconut oil and the extract of oregano essential oil led to eradication of Escherichia coli, the most common bacteria.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition backed the claim that cranberry juice and extract helps women to get rid of UTIs. Moreover, Gynaecologists also recommended this juice and extract to women who had UTIs due to various reasons. So it is safe to say that cranberry is the fruit for you when you’re going through a painful UTI. Having it regularly can also save you from any recurring infections while also maintaining the healthy vaginal pH balance. So for a infection free vagina, feel free to try out cranberry juice!
Conclusion
Cranberry is most certainly considered a superfood these days. Including healthy juice of this fruit in your diet will reap you benefits in the long run. Although consume it in moderate amounts. One glass a day is advisable, as more than that could cause stomach discomfort, diarrhoea and also kidney stones in some cases. It is better to choose the unsweetened and natural variety of cranberry juice rather than the one which contains lot of sugar. If you don’t like the sour taste of the juice you can always blend it with smoothies and make it according to your taste.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20003665/
www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-do-girls-drink-cranberry-juice
www.healthshots.com/intimate-health/feminine-hygiene/8-vagina-cleansing-foods-that-can-make-your-lady-bits-smell-good/
www.virtuosagyn.com/blog/5-foods-for-vaginal-health
