August 5/Lakeville-Middleboro, Mass./PRNewswire -- New research suggests that cranberry juice can be as effective as probiotics in maintaining good digestive health. The double-blind trial at the University of Chile found a regular 6.8oz. serving of 25% cranberry juice was as effective as the probiotic studied in suppressing growth of H. pylori among asymptomatic children. The study also showed the potential for an increased benefit when cranberry and probiotics are combined.

"This research is exciting as antibiotics are currently the only effective treatment for H. pylori, the most common cause of stomach ulcers worldwide and a risk factor for gastric cancers," says Dr. Fritz Francois, assistant professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. "Using cranberry juice and probiotics to possibly suppress growth of H. pylori is great news for physicians and patients who are seeking natural alternatives to antibiotics."

Recent research has shown that eradicating all bacteria in the gut, which is the case with many current antibiotic therapies, may create additional health woes. Probiotics and cranberry inhibit H. pylori due to natural mechanisms that work differently than antibiotic drugs, offering a way to avoid side effects and support a healthy balance of bacteria. The cranberry PACs work by providing a unique "anti-adhesion" activity against certain harmful bacteria including those that cause urinary tract infections, gum disease, as well as the H. pylori that causes stomach ulcers.

From the August 18, 2008, Prepared Foods e-Flash