Cranberry Juice For Kidney Stones

It is common knowledge amongst most people that cranberry juice is good for UTI. What is not as well known is that it may actually increase the number of kidney stones if you drink it wrong. This is because it is heavy in oxalic acid. However, this does not mean you should avoid cranberry juice all together. Just don’t drink it wrong. What entails “wrong”? Let’s see.

Important: Overall, if you are suffering from kidney stones, avoid cranberries because of their high oxalate content. Instead, look to increase your plain water intake. You can add lemon (discussed later on).

Choosing The Right Type Of Cranberry Juice For UTI Prevention and Kidney Health.

Don’t go to the supermarket and purchase a big bottle of cranberry cocktail. These are loaded with sugar, or worse, high-fructose corn syrup. These negate any of the benefits. In fact, drinking cranberry juice straight, without adding seltzer or water, is probably an overall negative. You are getting loads of sugar and very little cranberry.

The Right Cranberry Juice For Kidneys and UTI Prevention

The best method to get cranberry juice is to either juice , or buy pure cranberry juice. Let’s look at the two options.

Juicing Cranberries: The Fresh Choice

 This is my preferred choice. Buy a bag of organic cranberries and juice them. Then add that juice to water, or a green juice. The reason you want organic is that cranberries are usually grown in water bogs that are dirty. The huge companies use pesticides to maximize the growing production while limiting the amount of disease.

Cranberries have some really nasty pesticides on them, including Chlorpyrifos, which is a known carcinogen, as well as another nasty one called Naphthol.

Cranberries are difficult to wash…and you don’t peel them, so buying an organic brand is key.

The benefit to juicing fresh cranberries is that you get the same benefit as when you juice other fresh fruits and vegetables: complete vitamins, anti-oxidants, minerals and enzymes. The longer the juice is left out, the more the vital enzymes become depleted.

So, what I would recommend is to get a bag of organic cranberries and put them through an auger juicer. I say auger juicer (otherwise known as masticating) because it extracts the most juice and doesn’t damage the enzymes.

Pure Organic Bottled Cranberry Juice: Next Best Option

 

For some people it might be easier to buy bottled organic cranberry juice.

You should add this to filtered water. Don’t drink the cranberry juice straight. For one thing, the juice is particularly sour. It is not something that tastes nice. If you have never tasted straight cranberry juice, then you won’t be familiar with the taste and it might shock you.

Don’t Forget Water—Cranberries Alone Might Cause Stones!

While cranberries are beneficial because they help to eliminate calcium, which causes kidney stones, they also contain oxalates, which cause stones. So, it’s a bit of a catch 22.

The most  popular reason for drinking cranberry juice is that  it is helpful in preventing infections.

The important thing to do is to drink water when you are drinking cranberry juice. Water is important because it prevents the concentration of calcium and oxalates. Water is vital for preventing kidney stones. So, add water to your cranberry juice.

Important Rules For Drinking Cranberry Juice

•  Always Dilute Cranberry Juice With Water
•  Always Drink Pure Cranberry Juice, Not Concentrate
• If you are suffering from kidney stones, you should stay away from cranberry juice and instead look to adding lemon juice (preferable juiced with the oil from the peel) to your water. This has citrate, which can help prevent the kidney stones.