How to Lose Weight With Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice is one of the most common products of cranberries, a popular fruit grown mostly in North America. Nutrition Data reports that 1 cup of unsweetened cranberry juice contains 116 calories. Nearly all of the calories in cranberry juice are from fructose, the type of sugar naturally found in fruit. Cranberry juice can be used to promote weight loss because the beverage is a natural diuretic. Diuretics increase the production of urine, which removes excess water and toxins from the body.

Things You'll Need

• Pure cranberry juice
• Drinking glass
• Measuring cup

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Instructions

• 1

  Purchase pure cranberry juice. Cranberry juice cocktails and other cranberry juice drinks will likely contain added sugar or other sweeteners that can promote weight gain. Check the ingredients list -- the only ingredient should be cranberries. Pure cranberry juice is available at health food stores such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's.

• 2

  Drink the pure cranberry juice in moderation. For adults, consuming 4 to 8 oz. of pure cranberry juice per day is generally safe and can offer the desired diuretic effect. However, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine warns that consuming "excess amounts could cause gastrointestinal upset or diarrhea."

• 3

  Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Drinking cranberry juice can help you shed excess water weight, but you cannot maintain healthy weight loss without a proper diet. The Mayo Clinic suggests reducing sodium intake and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.