Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) are more common in people with diabetes. As diabetes educators, we are often frequently asked if cranberry juice is a good option to treat a UTI.

Diabetes educators may be hesitant to recommend cranberry juice because of the added sugar and it’s potential to increase glucose levels. There are 28 grams (7 teaspoons) of added sugar in one cup of Ocean Spray cranberry juice.

Many people with diabetes have be instructed to drink cranberry juice by well meaning friends, family member or health professionals to help ease the unbearable symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Symptoms including; frequent urination, pain when starting or stopping urinating, pelvic pain, confusion (especially in older folks) and blood in the urine! 

But, we have bad news for cranberry juice aficionados. It looks like cranberry juice isn’t an effective treatment. A recent study review by NICE, the National Institute for Health Care Excellence, reported that cranberry juice actually does not relieve the symptoms of a urinary track infection.

NICE report recommends that a person with a suspected UTI should drink lots of water or fluids (but not coffee, alcohol, pop, or caffeine) and take a pain reliever. Of course, antibiotics may also be necessary.

For other recommendations see full article by the Huffpost: Drinking Cranberry Juice Doesn’t Help Relieve Urinary Infection Symptoms, Say New U.K. Health Draft Guidelines