Cranberry juice has long been acknowledged as an effective natural remedy for urinary tract infection, but pomegranate may be just as effective and even better for your overall health.
A UTI is caused by a bacterial infection in the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body. If left untreated, it can get worse and spread to the bladder.
Chronic UTI can be very uncomfortable, causing symptoms of pain, fever, burning sensations, and even blood in the urine.
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According to Only My Health, patients seeking treatment for UTI are often told by physicians to drink lots of fluids in order to help flush bacteria out of the urinary tract.
Antioxidant-rich fluids are best since they prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder and urethra. In terms of antioxidant content, cranberry juice is a good choice, but pomegranate is even better.
In fact,
CBS News reported about a study from the University of California Los Angeles that found pomegranate juice is by far the best juice because it contains the highest levels of nearly every antioxidant.
There was even some evidence that pomegranate juice can protect from prostate and other types of cancer.
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Additionally, pomegranate is high in vitamin C, so as Only My Health explained, the antioxidants flush out the bacteria while the vitamin C helps to boost the overall immune system for a fast recovery from the UTI.
Clinical nutritionist Samantha Heller cautions patients that while drinking lots of juice can be beneficial because of the antioxidants and vitamins, juices are high in naturally occurring sugars that can significantly contribute to weight gain.
If you want the benefits of pomegranate for UTI, try consuming the fruit rather than the juice. The fruit contains far fewer calories and has beneficial fiber not found in the juice.
You can also cut calories by mixing the juice with sparkling water to dilute it.
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