Move over, Sleepy Girl Mocktail.
The latest at-home wellness beverage is “feminine health juice” — a colorful, fruity concoction that promises everything from better vaginal odor to fewer infections and even a boost in your sex drive.
While cranberries and pineapple make up the base of this juice, you can play around with the ingredients from there.
One TikTok creator who goes by @wellnesswithcharms adds pomegranate arils, which research shows can benefit female reproductive health thanks to their antioxidants, antimicrobial properties and high water content.
Another TikTokker incorporates pomegranate, which some studies suggest has estrogen-like effects that can help lubricate the vagina and increase sexual pleasure.
“If you want your man to worship the ground you walk on — drink this,” TikTokker Naomi Robinson says about her blend of unsweetened cranberry juice, pineapple juice and cinnamon. “If you want your soul to ascend from your body and take you to a different galaxy — drink this.”
It’s a strong promo, but does it live up to the hype? Or is this just another case of wellness-world wishful thinking?
“From a medical perspective, I don’t believe these combinations of juices will work ‘magic’ for vaginal health,” Dr. Sonya Brar, an OB/GYN at Mount Sinai, told the Post.
“Certainly, the fruits themselves contain antioxidants and vitamins, which are important for the body, and of course hydration is key — it’s very important for healthy bladder and kidney function, improves digestion and reduces dry skin, even in the sensitive vaginal region.”
However, her concern is “the high sugar content in juice, which can lead to overgrowth of yeast in the vagina.”
She also believes “it is always more beneficial to eat the fruit instead of drinking its juice, for greater fiber intake.”
Instead of sipping sugary concoctions, Dr. Brar recommends keeping it simple.
“Squeezing fresh fruit into water is a great way to infuse and flavor H2O, ensuring you can get around eight cups of water per day,” she said. “But those daily cups for hydration should not primarily be through juice — or other sugary and caffeinated beverages for that matter.
One exception? Cranberries. Sort of.
“If you’ve ever dealt with the pain that comes with a urinary tract infection, you’ll do almost anything to make sure you don’t get another one,” Dr. Jill Maura Rabin, an OB/GYN at Northwell Health, told the Post.
“Studies have shown that cranberry products can be useful in reducing the risk of a UTI by making it harder for bacteria — particularly E. coli — to stick to the bladder wall.”
But she’s quick to note that this doesn’t seem to apply to everyone, especially if you’re pregnant, elderly or have trouble going to the bathroom.
She also seconds that juice really isn’t the best method of obtaining the UTI-preventing effects of cranberries — not only do you need a large amount for any benefit, many store-bought juices are loaded with sugar and oxalates, which can cause kidney stones.
For anyone truly prone to UTIs, she recommends cranberry supplements that contain at least 36 milligrams of proanthocyanidins (PACs) — the compound that actually helps prevent infection.
And, remember, “cranberry in any form is not a treatment for a UTI. If you have symptoms of an infection— frequent urination, pain or burning when peeing, a constant urge to pee, etc.— you need to make an appointment with your health care provider right away,” she said.
“If you’re frequently getting UTIs — two or three infections per year is considered high if you don’t have other health conditions — your doctor might also want to look into what could be causing the issue, such as a bladder polyp or bladder stone.”