MSN | 6 Health Benefits of Cranberries
You may associate cranberries with the holidays, but there are good reasons to consume them year-round, either frozen, dried, or in juice form. In a new study from McGill University in Canada, researchers selected bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gastroenteritis. When bacteria are treated with antibiotics they typically become resistant to its effects. But in this experiment, scientists found that the addition of cranberry extract prevented resistance from developing. The extract made the bacterial cell wall more permeable to the antibiotic, and it caused the bacteria to have a tougher time pumping out the antibiotic. The finding is significant as the overuse of antibiotics, primarily in animal agriculture, has led to infections that are more difficult to treat in humans. While the study is new, stay tuned. It may prompt physicians to recommend cranberry juice or extract when antibiotics are prescribed.
