Which fruit is commonly used to prevent urinary tract infections?

The fruit commonly used to help prevent urinary tract infections is cranberry.

Cranberries are used as juice, dried fruit, or concentrated capsules, especially by people who experience recurrent UTIs. Their proanthocyanidins—particularly A-type compounds—have been studied for their possible ability to reduce the attachment of some Escherichia coli bacteria to urinary-tract lining cells. The proposed effect is prevention of some infections, not destruction of an established infection.

Evidence is more nuanced than the popular slogan suggests. A 2023 Cochrane review found moderate evidence that cranberry products may reduce UTI risk in women with recurrent infections, children, and some people after clinical procedures. Results are less convincing for older adults, pregnant women, and people with certain bladder disorders.

Cranberry juice does not treat a serious or current UTI, and sweetened juice can contain substantial sugar. Cranberry is also easily confused with blueberry or bilberry, but those fruits do not have the same established reputation in UTI-prevention research.