At least one holiday dish was beneficial to our health.

Overview

Chances are, you associate a certain tart red berry with the holidays. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, it appears on most tables at least once. But did you know cranberries may help counter the global threat of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”? This is important news as both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have deemed antibiotic resistance a "global public health concern."1 To that point, the CDC estimates that antibiotic-resistant bacteria infect at least two million people and cause 23,000 deaths each year in the United States.2 Can cranberries help? Let’s see...

Understanding Superbugs

You may have noticed that in recent years your doctor has been more reticent about prescribing antibiotics. Overuse of these drugs has merely stimulated bacteria to mutate and grow stronger. According to the Mayo Clinic, the term "superbugs" is used to describe strains of bacteria that are resistant to the majority of antibiotics used today. Resistant bacteria that cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin infections are just a few of the dangers we already face.3 Some researchers suggest it’s only a matter of time before one of these superbugs creates an epidemic that overwhelms us.

How Cranberries Can Help

Researchers have long lauded cranberries’ powerful antioxidants and there’s a popular belief that they can help with urinary tract infections (UTI). But now there’s evidence that they could also help in the fight against bacteria. New research from McGill University in Canada finds that cranberry molecules make bacteria more sensitive to antibiotics. You can profit from taking both at once.4

Giving Dangerous Bacteria the One-Two Punch

Researchers found that when treated with molecules derived from cranberries, pathogenic bacteria become more sensitive to lower doses of antibiotics. Plus, the bacteria don’t develop resistance to the antibiotics. The researchers discovered that there are two ways cranberry extract increases bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics. First, it causes the bacterial cell wall to be more permeable to the antibiotic. Second, it interferes with the mechanism used by the bacteria to block the antibiotic. These are really exciting results. Meanwhile, cranberries boast plenty of other health benefits. They rank just behind blueberries in antioxidant potency. And they are rich in anti-inflammatory power, too. Research also shows that they can help support gut health and good circulation.67 It seems that every silver lining has a cloud, though. During the week I was drinking large amounts of pure, undiluted organic cranberry juice, it eventually upset my stomach.
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6188119/
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/about.html
  3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/expert-answers/superbugs/faq-20129283
  4. Adv. Sci. 2019, 1802333. DOI: 10.1002/advs.201802333
  5. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/mu-cjf052719.php
  6. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/omi.2016.0167
  7. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.116.012583

Written by: Susan Parker

Susan Parker is a 49-year-old Senior Manager at a marketing firm. With two older children becoming more independent, she is now focusing on her own health and wellbeing. She’s passionate about natural and holistic health approaches, and values high-quality, trustworthy products. Susan enjoys yoga, gardening, reading, and cooking, and seeks to stay energetic and sharp while balancing a busy career and personal life.

Reviewed by: Susan Parker