Know2eat

Cranberries

Vaccinium macrocarpon

What cranberries has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 3 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 1 Strong
  • 2 Limited
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About cranberries

A small, hard, extremely tart red berry grown in flooded bogs in North America. The USDA entry is raw fruit; most cranberry sold is sweetened juice, sauce or sugar-infused dried fruit, which are nutritionally very different.

Also known as American cranberry, Large cranberry

Kidney & Urinary HealthHeart HealthGut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Strong

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Kidney and urinary function

Kidney & Urinary Health
Strong evidence

This is one of the better-evidenced whole-food claims in the catalog. Pooled analyses of many randomised trials report fewer recurrent urinary tract infections in women with a history of them, and in children, when cranberry products are taken regularly. The effect does not extend to catheterised patients or older adults in care, and cranberry is not a substitute for antibiotics once an infection is established.

What may be going on: A-type proanthocyanidins interfere with the adhesion of P-fimbriated Escherichia coli to the urothelium, which is thought to reduce colonisation rather than kill bacteria.

Strong evidence. Consistent findings across multiple good-quality human studies.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Some trials report small improvements in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides with cranberry juice, and others report nothing. Doses vary widely, the products are often sweetened, and pooled estimates are dominated by a handful of small studies.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Gut microbiome

Gut & Digestive Health
Limited evidence

Research suggests cranberry polyphenols reach the colon largely intact and may shift the composition of gut bacteria. The human studies are short, few and measure composition rather than any outcome a person would notice.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Cranberries

Ask about Cranberries

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories46 kcal2%
Protein0.46 g1%
Total fat0.13 g0%
Carbohydrate12 g4%
Fibre3.6 g13%
Total sugars4.27 g—
Water87.3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.0080 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.018 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.055 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.033 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A3 µg0%
Vitamin C14 mg16%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E1.32 mg9%
Vitamin K5 µg4%
Thiamin (B1)0.012 mg1%
Riboflavin (B2)0.02 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.101 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.295 mg6%
Vitamin B60.057 mg3%
Folate1 µg0%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline5.5 mg1%
Minerals
Calcium8 mg1%
Iron0.23 mg1%
Magnesium6 mg1%
Phosphorus11 mg1%
Potassium80 mg2%
Sodium2 mg0%
Zinc0.09 mg1%
Copper0.056 mg6%
Manganese0.267 mg12%
Selenium0.1 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene38 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin91 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.12 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Cranberries, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171722).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Oxalate load and kidney stones

    Cranberry is relatively high in oxalate and concentrated products have been shown to raise urinary oxalate excretion. People who form calcium oxalate stones are usually advised to be cautious with cranberry supplements and juice in particular.

  • Interaction

    Warfarin monitoring

    Case reports describe raised INR in people taking warfarin alongside large amounts of cranberry juice. Controlled studies have mostly found no clinically important effect, but anticoagulation guidance still commonly advises keeping intake steady and monitoring after a change.

  • Too much

    Most cranberry products are mostly sugar

    Raw cranberries are too sour for most people, so sweetened juice cocktail and sugar-infused dried cranberries dominate the market. Their sugar content is high enough that the product bears little resemblance to the fruit in this entry.