Does Drinking Cranberry Juice Every Day Reduce Your Risk Of Colon Cancer?

A glass of cranberry juice can be a refreshing way to start your day. The tart combined with the sweetness of cranberry wakes up your taste buds and sets you on your way to meeting your hydration goals. A cup of cranberry juice cocktail provides a full day's supply of the powerful antioxidant vitamin C, and the high potassium-to-sodium ratio makes cranberry juice great for people with high blood pressure.

Consuming more antioxidants can help your immune system fight free radicals and protect you from diseases like cancer. But are the antioxidants in cranberry juice enough to reduce your risk of colon cancer? Registered dietitian Angel Luk pointed Health Digest to a 2016 review in Antioxidants, which found that cranberries have proanthocyanidins and ursolic acid that stop the growth of cancer cells in lab experiments. As Luk explains, the paper's findings point to the beneficial effects of cranberry juice extract, "including decreasing cell viability, in prostate, stomach, colon, and breast cancer." 

The study also highlights how cranberry juice and cranberry extracts reduced precancerous growths and colon cancer tumors in animal studies. But drinking cranberry juice every day might not necessarily have the same effect on colon cancer in humans. "There is not enough evidence to provide a recommended dose or level of intake at this time," she said. "However, the hope is that people who are at high risk for developing cancer will benefit from future research and, in the meantime, enjoy cranberries as part of a balanced diet that includes a variety of more whole, unprocessed foods."

Protecting yourself from colon cancer could begin with looking after your gut health. According to the National Cancer Institute, your gut bacteria can strengthen your immune system and keep any cancer cells in check. A healthy gut microbiome can also help your body respond better to cancer treatments. One way to improve your gut bacteria is to include fiber in your diet.

Cranberries might be better for your gut than cranberry juice. A cup of cranberries has about a third of the calories of a cup of cranberries, but cranberries have 4 grams of fiber. Excess sugar in your diet can wreck your gut health. Cranberry juice has six times more sugar than cranberries.

Polyphenols in cranberries support beneficial bacteria in your gut, promoting metabolic health and managing inflammation, according to a 2023 review in Frontiers in Nutrition. Cranberries might influence microRNAs, which regulate how your cells grow, function, and respond to stress. These microRNAs can support your body's defenses against certain types of cancer.

Luk suggests that a healthy diet rich in unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains is a great way to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. Low-fat dairy that's rich in calcium might also protect your colon health, according to the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. You'll also want to dial back on the red and processed meats such as sausage and hot dogs because they can increase your colon cancer risk. Alcohol is also strongly linked to various types of cancers, including colon cancer, because alcohol damages your body's tissues and leads to oxidative stress.

The American Cancer Society says that colorectal cancer affects 1 out of 25 people in the United States, so you should begin getting screened for colorectal cancer at age 45 if you're at an average risk. Obesity can increase your colorectal cancer risk, so increasing your activity while eating a healthy diet can lower your risk. Smoking also increases your risk of developing and dying of colorectal cancer, so look for a good smoking cessation program.