Cranberry water, made with cranberry powder or extract, may help reduce the symptoms of overactive bladder, lower urinary tract symptoms, and prostatitis. Additionally, consuming a cranberry dietary supplement containing at least 500 mg of pure cranberry fruit powder may help lower the risk of recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs).
In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that certain cranberry juices and supplements may claim to reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs when taken in specific amounts. This study found that cranberry products reduced the risk of recurrent UTIs by 26%. (However, while cranberries may help prevent UTIs in women, there is no strong evidence that they are effective in treating an existing UTI.)
Cranberries can also help improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), regardless of whether these symptoms are caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate) or are associated with the levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation). This study found that 1500 mg cranberry fruit powder taken three times daily with water for six months significantly reduced frequency, urgency, weak stream volume, and the need to urinate during the night (nocturia).
This Cranberry Water recipe was inspired by my Hibiscus Tea recipe, as well as this Juice with Chia Seeds recipe.
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👩🏼🌾 Cranberry Water Ingredients
- Cranberry powder or cranberry extract
- Water
🔗Find my recommended brands for tea and tea-making essentials here. See the recipe card for quantities.
💧 Substitutions
- Pure cranberry juice - Consumer Labs found this unsweetened cranberry juice to contain the most proanthocyanidins (PACs) per serving. One 8-ounce serving per day may help reduce the recurrence of UTIs.
- Cranberry powder - use 2 teaspoons dissolved in 8 ounces of water per serving
- Cranberry extract - use one-fifth teaspoon dissolved in 8 ounces of water per serving
For more healthy beverages, visit my Health Drinks page.
📖 How to Make Cranberry Water
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
- Store opened cranberry powder in a dark airtight container if the original packaging is compromised.
- Dissolve the cranberry powder or extract in 8 ounces of room temperature or cold water. Mix well to combine.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Storage: Drink cranberry water on the same day it’s made to ensure freshness. Store cranberry powder or extract in the original packaging, or a dark airtight container, in a cool dry place.
- Do not use hot or warm water as this may reduce the proanthocyanidins content in the powder.
- 🔗Find my recommended brands for tea and tea-making essentials here.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Consume two teaspoons (500 mg) of cranberry powder, or one-fifth of a teaspoon of cranberry extract, with a full glass of water. It may be more effective to divide the cranberry water into two servings, or double the serving, and take it twice daily. This is because the ability of proanthocyanidins to limit the binding of E. coli lasts only about 8 hours.
🔗Find my recommended brands for tea and tea-making essentials here.
The proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberries are thought to be responsible for limiting the ability of E. coli bacteria to stick to the walls of the urinary tract or bladder and cause infection. Bladder infection-causing-E. coli cause infection by sticking to the bladder's walls so they do not get washed away. However, within hours of consumption of cranberry juice or various tested cranberry products, the stickiness of E. coli decreases and remains reduced for most of the day. This could be why certain cranberry products may effectively reduce recurrent infections.
However, avoiding chicken may help prevent bladder infections in the first place.
Heavy metal contamination is not a concern for cranberry products and cranberry supplements are safe for most people. However, people with a risk of kidney stones, and those with aspirin allergy may need to exercise more caution. Cranberry juice is usually high in sugar, which can be problematic for diabetics, but cranberry water contains no sugar.
🍽️ Related Recipes
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I put a lot of time into writing these nutrition-related posts. If you found this article helpful, I would love it if you would ⭐️ rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Water
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cranberry powder or ⅕ teaspoon cranberry extract
- 8 ounces water
Instructions
- Add 2 teaspoons of cranberry powder or ⅕ teaspoon of cranberry extract to 8 ounces of cold or room-temperature water.
- Mix well until fully dissolved.
Notes
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Shay Reed says
Very Helpful ☺️
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad! Have a great week.
Ana says
Love it ❤️ Thank you!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Sure! Have a great weekend.
Emily A. says
Hi, love your content! If I want to use fresh or frozen cranberries, would that still be effective and beneficial? And how much would you recommend, please? Thanks very much for your help and time.
Emily in the East of England
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. This study from Weill Cornell Medicine in the Journal of Urology found using dried cranberry showed a reduction of the number of bathroom trips in patients who received the dried cranberry compared to those who received placebo (fake cranberry). Ot showed that dried cranberry is a good option that may reduce your overactive symptoms. However, I have not found a study showing that fresh cranberries would have this same effect. They are certainly not harmful but the potency would be reduced.
Farheen Saeed says
Can we use dried cranberry instead of powder
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Cranberry powder is essentially dried cranberry. That would work.
Deepa says
Love it!! Thank you
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad. Thank you for commenting.
amee mohamed says
What brand of cranberry powder do you use?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. This is linked throughout the blog post. This is the brand: https://amzn.to/3WudqaR
or this https://amzn.to/3LvNh5d
Jane says
Just wondering why you recommend a cranberry powder with added maltodextrin?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I would prefer plain cranberry powder. See here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23251695/
M says
What brand do you use or recommend?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. This is linked throughout the blog post. This is the brand: https://amzn.to/3WudqaR
or this https://amzn.to/3LvNh5d