Table of Contents
Tart Cherry Juice Benefits- Should You Drink it More Often Now?
Tart cherry juice benefits should be known to everyone who is looking for improving their health through their diets. Tart cherry juice is obtained from Montmorency cherries which are also called sour cherries. Tart cherry juice’s benefits are numerous as it is rich in antioxidants.
Compared to sweet cherries, which are to b enjoyed when they are fresh, tart cherries are often eaten when they are juiced, frozen, or dried. Tart cherry juice is prepared from the fruit of a tree native to Europe and Southwest Asia called Prunus cerasus. This tree itself is associated with many health benefits.
That being said, some varieties of tart cherry juice might be sweetened in taste due to added sugar, needless to say, the varieties with no sugar will have more health benefits.
Recent medical researches have suggested that they offer a variety of health benefits ranging from better sleep to great exercise recovery. Although additional reports of researches are needed to know more about tart cherry juice benefits and how it helps to improve overall health.
Here are science-based tart cherry juice benefits you must find out to enjoy from now on if you haven’t yet!
Tart Cherry Juice Benefits
Here are all the known tart cherry juice health benefits one should know. Keep reading:
1. Rich in nutrients
An 8-ounce serving of tart cherry juice contains nearly 119 calories and has the following nutrients embedded in it.
- Carbs: 28 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Copper: 12% of the recommended dietary intake
- Vitamin K: 7% of the recommended dietary intake.
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Manganese: 14% of the recommended dietary intake
- Potassium: 12% of the recommended dietary intake
- Vitamin A: 62% of the recommended dietary intake
- Vitamin C: 40% of the recommended dietary intake
Not only these nutrients and plant compounds, but tart cherry juice also has a small number of B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, omega-6 fatty acids, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Compared to the sweet cherry variety of this juice, the tart cherry has 20 times more levels of vitamin A and the antioxidant levels of these reach 5 times higher than regular sweetened juice.
One easy way you can differentiate between sweet varieties or tart cherries with nutritional ones is by looking at their colors. Sweet cherries are likely to have a darker color as compared to the bright red color of dried or tart cherries after they are harvested.
Bear in mind that a few varieties of tart cherry juice also contains a substantial amount of sugars added, so you must opt for an unsweetened variety with higher nutrients and health benefits.
2. It may increase strength and decrease muscle soreness
Physically active people might be intrigued particularly in tart cherry juice benefits and that is pretty obvious. Two such amazing tart cherry juice benefits are that it improves the strength of muscles and reduces soreness after working out or muscle injury.
Many studies have reported that it has beneficial effects. In one study, it was witnessed that long-distance runners took 24 ounces of tart cherry juice or a placebo 7 day before the race as well as the day of the race. The runners who consumed cherry juice pain 3 times less compared to individuals who were given the placebo.
In one more study conducted, runners were given 480 ml or 16 ounces of tart cherry juice in the days before and on the day following the marathon immediately. They experience less inflammation, soreness, and muscle damage. These people also recovered faster than they normally do, indicating tart cherry juice health benefits.
Similar results were seen after supplementing daily with tart cherry powder in the amount 480 mg. Additionally, tart cherry juice or supplements in form of powder were able to increase muscle strength which we already discussed.
Thgroupup of men was given a placebo or tart cherry supplements on the day before and the day following a HIIT or intense training session. The men who were given tart cherries lost less muscle strength up to 4% after the training as compared to another group with a placebo.
Tart cherry supplements might also decrease muscle breakdown, speed up recovery of muscles in resistance-trained individuals, and decrease muscle soreness.
Although there are various studies to have reported tart cherry juice benefits, it is also important to acknowledge that a minority of studies conducted did not find any benefit. Thus, a lot more researches on a large scale has to be done on the subject.
3. It may Strengthen The Immune System
Tart cherry juice is found to be rich in different minerals, vitamins, and plant compounds as you have already seen in the nutrition profile of juice. These compounds tend o boost the working of your immune system.
In particular, it is believed by the researchers that tart cherries have high antioxidant content due to which it may aid in preventing infections,
For example, one study was conducted on the effects of tart cherry juice on the upper respiratory symptoms experienced commonly by marathon runners followed by the races.
A group of marathon runners consumed tart cherry juice in the first few days leading and on the day of the marathon while the other group consumed a placebo.
It was observed that 50% of the individuals who ran in the marathon by taking a placebo developed upper respiratory tract syndrome after the race whereas the group of individuals who had taken tart juice were completely fine and none has URTS.
4. Might promote healthy brain
Degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are believed to be caused by oxidative stress in some parts. Tart cherries and tart cherry juices comprise a large amount o beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants that might show some protective effects on cells in the brain.
In a study conducted in older men and women, consuming 480 ml of tart cherry juices on daily basis improved their antioxidants defenses.
In one more study, older people having mild to moderate dementia were given either a placebo for 12 weeks or tart cherry juice nearly 200 ml for the same period. Adults who consumed tart cherry juice senses overall improvement in their short-term and long-term memory and verbal fluency while the other group with placebo experienced none.
5. May reduce gout and arthritis symptoms
Tart cherry juice benefits are numerous. It is often claimed to have great effects and reduce arthritis symptoms like inflammation ad joint pain. In one study conducted, it was seen that tart cherry juice reduced specific blood markers of inflammation in some women suffering from osteoarthritis which is the most common type.
In one more study, patients who had taken two 240ml or 8 ounces bottles of tart cherry juice every day experiences somewhat less and stiffness after 6 weeks’ durations. However, this difference between patients who did not take the juice and those who had taken it is really small.
Studies have also observed the effects of this juice on gout, it is also a type of arthritis that comes with repeated attacks of intense pain and swelling. Consuming tart juice seems to decrease the uric acid level in the blood which is a chemical that triggers gout conditions when present in the bloodstream in higher concentrations.
In addition, a few studies report that people with gout who eat cherry juice or fresh cherries daily are likely to experience attack 50% less likely than people who do not. However, the number of studies on this specific topic is also limited and most conducted are observational in nature. Hence, it is difficult to draw a conclusion based on observance merely.
This is the reason it is hard to determine this juice has reduced symptoms or other reasons cod be possible.
6. It May help sleeping better
Tart cherry juice benefits do not end on internal health only, it is also said to induce a night of better sleep. Tart cherry juice may be effective and safe to treat conditions like insomnia and increase your sleep duration every night.
This is because tart cherries are rich in melatonin naturally. This hormone is liable for sleepiness. Moreover, tart cherries have a good amount of anthocyanins and tryptophan, these two compound helps the body create melatonin and lengthen the effects of.
Reach has shown that supplementing with this juice will increase melatonin levels and provide a great sleep quality for people with insomnia.
In another study, participants experiencing insomnia were given 16 ounces of cherry juice or the same amount of placebo juice for 2 weeks every day. The one who took cherry juice observed an increase of 85 minutes in their sleep time.
Interestingly, tart cherry juice appears to be as effective as melatonin and valerian in inducing sleep if not more than these compounds. Melatonin and valerian are two of the most studies products for insomnia and both are natural.
tart cherry juice benefits do not just end here, here are some more.
7. May protect against cancer
Certain types of antioxidants present in tart cherry juice might help turn off the gene responsible or be involved in the growth of cancer cells. However, testing of this tart cherry juice benefits in humans has not taken place yet.
Even if there are observations or animal studies, we cannot include the effects on humans without trials and proper testing.
8. It may help in losing weight
A few studies of this juice were conducted on mice and it was observed that it was able to decrease belly fat, reduce weight, and blood cholesterol levels.
However, humans studies are required to affirm the results.
9. May reduce blood pressure
Studies have suggested that consumption of tart cherry juice might lead to a reduction in blood pressure levels but the results were average. Further studies are required for this one too.
10. Might help reducing pain
Tart cherry juice might help reduce peripheral neuropathy, this type of pain is caused by the damaging of nerves.
All the tart cherry juice benefits mentioned in the last need a lot more studies to be proven right. One cannot make strong conclusions from animals studies.
Safety and Dosage
If you are interested in tart cherry juice benefits, you will want to follow the same dosage given to people in the studies conducted and mentioned above.
Most studies give here that observed tart cherry juice benefits have 240 ml of 8 ounces of juice to the participants. It is assumed to be the same as consuming 200 tart cherries nearly every day.
Regarding juice powder from tart cherries, studies that sued powder supplements used typically around 480 mg per day.
Benefits of tart cherries were observed mainly after 7 to 10 days of supplementation. In addition to this, tart juice s safe fr mostly everyone, though it has a high amount of a compound called sorbitol which is a sugar type that causes diarrhea and stomach ache in some people.
Tart cherry juice additionally contains quercetin, which is a plant compound that might combine with several medications, especially with blood thinners. People on such medications must discuss with a doctor ere adding massive amounts of tart cherry juices to their diets.
The Bottom Line
Tart cherry juice benefits range from the healthy function of the brain to reducing inflammation and arthritis. It is high in nutrients and offers several health benefits that are pretty impressive for a juice. It can be added to your diet simply without being afraid of side effects.
It seems particularly useful at reducing soreness of muscles and improving sleep duration. Therefore, individuals who are physically active and suffering from insomnia must consider giving tart cherry juice a try and see if it works for their conditions or not.
For gaining the most tart cherry juice benefits, go for an unsweetened version instead of the one that has sugar. You can also make your own and enjoy its benefits.
