Urinary Tract Infections & Pomegranate Juice

The symptoms of a urinary tract infection--or UTI--are painful and unpleasant 2. While UTIs do require the care of a doctor to prevent complications, drinking antioxidant-rich juices--such as pomegranate juice--can be beneficial in preventing bacteria from flourishing in your urinary system.

The symptoms of a urinary tract infection--or UTI--are painful and unpleasant 2. While UTIs do require the care of a doctor to prevent complications, drinking antioxidant-rich juices--such as pomegranate juice--can be beneficial in preventing bacteria from flourishing in your urinary system. The properties of pomegranate juice can help to fight off infections.

Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections can affect any portion of your urinary system including your kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra. Symptoms of a UTI include:

• painful urination
  
• a burning sensation during urination
  
• foul smelling urine
  
• cloudy urine
  
• blood-colored urine
  
• the frequent urge to urinate
  
• voiding little urine at a time
  
• abdominal pain
  
• nausea
  
• chills
  
• vomiting

When treated--UTIs do require medical care--they are rarely a cause for concern. A medical history, urine specimen and a physical exam will help to confirm a UTI. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to help clear up your infection.

Fluid Intake

Your doctor will likely recommend that you consume plenty of fluids while recovering from a urinary tract infection. Drinking plenty of fluids can help dilute your urine--this will make voiding less painful and help to reduce the burning sensation as you urinate. Drinking plenty of fluids can also help to flush bacteria out of your urinary system--especially your kidneys. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends six to eight glasses of water--or antioxidant-rich juice--per day until your symptoms have cleared.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are found in a number of fruit juices--including pomegranate and cranberry juice. Clinical nutritionist Samantha Heller for CBS News indicates that vivid colored fruits and most berries are likely to be high in antioxidants. Oxidants are naturally occurring substances that are derived from oxygen. Oxidants tend to latch onto substances in your body, overwhelming your body and causing diseases. On the other hand, antioxidants bond with oxidants to prevent them from attaching to the tissues of your body.

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice is a vivid colored berry juice that contains antioxidants and vitamin C. The antioxidant properties of pomegranate juice help prevent bacteria from latching onto the walls of your bladder. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system and fight off infections--including urinary tract infections. While no studies have been completed on the effects of pomegranate juice on UTIs, pomegranate juice has properties that are very similar to cranberry juice. The University of Michigan Health System recommends 4 to 10 oz 2. of cranberry juice daily while recovering from a UTI.