Cranberry juice has long been considered a folk remedy, but its effectiveness has been questioned. A new meta-analysis of 13 trials including 1616 participants shows that cranberry users were at 38% lower risk of urinary-tract infections (UTIs)–especially in women with recurrent UTIs. Those consuming a serving of cranberry products or drinking cranberry juice more than twice a day experienced the greatest benefit. However, the authors caution that more research is necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn.
PositiveTip: Drinking 6 ounces of cranberry juice two times a day may help prevent UTI–and probably won’t hurt.