Tart cherry juice, extracted from Montmorency cherries (also known as sour cherries), has garnered attention for its potential health benefits. Tart cherries are known to be a rich source of antioxidants. Recent medical research suggests that it offers a range of health benefits, from exercise recovery to better sleep, and reduce inflammation in the body.
Tart Cherries vs. Sweet Cherries: What's the Difference?
Sweet cherries taste great when eaten raw. Tart cherries are more commonly dried, pressed into juice, frozen, or canned to be used for fillings in dishes like pies. Both tart and sweet cherries have high amounts of polyphenols, which are antioxidants that include anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acid, and flavanols. Each type of cherry has different levels of these antioxidants. Anthocyanins, for example, give cherries their red color, and they also provide anti-inflammatory benefits.
Nutritional Profile of Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. One cup of tart cherry juice contains:
- Calories: 159
- Protein: 0.8 gram
- Fat: 1.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 36.9 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 32.8 grams
Tart cherry juice is a good source of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Tart cherry juice is also an excellent source of potassium. Studies have shown that potassium may help keep blood pressure in a healthy range and reduce the risk of stroke. Tart cherries are rich in many essential nutrients that older adults need more of as they age, namely potassium and vitamins A, C and K.
Potential Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice
Research has found a number of potential health benefits of drinking tart cherry juice:
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Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Tart cherry juice contains anthocyanins, which are anti-inflammatory compounds that may help to combat some chronic diseases. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, tart cherry juice significantly reduced signs of inflammation that are common in chronic diseases. These anti-inflammatory properties may provide needed relief for people with arthritis. Studies show that tart cherries can help reduce the pain and stiffness that come with arthritis and other joint pain disorders. Flavonoids are strongly associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes among healthy people. Tart cherries could also play a role in reducing inflammation and, in turn, support healthy aging. Studies of tart cherries have found that consumption reduces the level of the serum C-reactive protein. This protein is produced by the liver and helps to defend against bacteria.
Exercise Recovery and Performance
Several studies have shown that tart cherry juice can aid significantly in exercise recovery and muscle pain after exercise. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, college athletes had less muscle pain and strength loss after exertion when drinking tart cherry juice twice a day for 8 days.
In addition to helping aid recovery, tart cherry juice can also improve athletic performance. Research shows that it may enhance endurance exercise performance due to its low glycemic index (causes a small, slow increase in blood sugar levels), anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative capacity (disease fighting), as well as blood flow-enhancing effects. Drinking cherry juice in the days leading up to a workout may help muscle function recovery post-exercise. It’s naturally high in potassium, which conducts electrical impulses throughout the body. Potassium helps in various aspects of your body, including: proper heart and kidney function, nerve transmission and muscle contraction. Cherries contain about 342 milligrams (mg) of potassium per cup, which is just under 10% of your daily recommended value. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a daily value of 4,700 mg for adults and children over 4 years old. A 2019 study showed that drinking 16 oz (2 cups) of cherry juice once a day for 4 months reduced the pain felt in the knee by people with OA.
Tart Cherry Juice and Sleep
If you have insomnia, tart cherry juice may help you get a better night’s rest. Research shows that tart cherry juice increases sleep time and sleep efficiency for people with insomnia. This may be because the juice helps tryptophan enter your bloodstream and increases your body’s production of melatonin. Tart cherries also contain both melatonin - a hormone produced by the brain that controls our sleep-wake cycle - and tryptophan - a protein that helps the body produce melatonin. Tart cherry juice has been linked to sleeping better. In some studies, it appeared to help the brain make more melatonin, a hormone that promotes restfulness and even counteracts jet lag. Research shows that tart cherry juice can boost melatonin-the sleep hormone-production, leading to better, longer sleep. Kitchen says that because the melatonin-boosting effects peak in the system about one to three hours after drinking, it’s best consumed an hour before bed.
Antioxidant Properties and Brain Health
Tart cherry juice may help improve the oxidative stress on the body from aging. Studies in older adults show that tart cherry juice improves antioxidant defenses and reduces oxidative damage. Another randomized, controlled trial showed that it may improve mental skills in older adults due to its antioxidant properties.
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Potential Benefits for Gout
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by too much uric acid in your body. Multiple studies have shown that people who consumed tart cherries and cherry juice on a regular basis reported fewer gout flare-ups than those who didn't eat cherry products. While more research is required with a wider range of people, there is evidence that putting cherries into your diet can help reduce uric acid in your body. Some older adults swear by tart cherry juice to ease or prevent gout attacks, a severe arthritis flare-up that usually manifests as pain and swelling in one or more joints. A study published in Clinical Developments in Nutrition found that obese and overweight adults who regularly drank tart cherry juice had lower serum uric acid levels - a main driver of gout attacks.
Immune Health
Drinking tart cherry juice can also help strengthen your immune system. When you eat cherries, you benefit from antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Cherries are also a good source of vitamins A and C, which are both influential in immune health. Cherries have 12% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C and 11% of the daily value of vitamin A.
Other potential benefits
Benefits of cherry juice may include boosting the immune system, improving memory, and aiding sleep. A 2018 review on the health benefits of cherries helped confirm the findings that cherries may decrease inflammation in chronic conditions, such as OA, and in the body as a whole. A further 2023 review and meta-analysis also found that regular consumption of cherry juice can help manage inflammation. Research from 2017 suggests that the anthocyanins in cherries may help fight bacteria. This may support your immune system in fighting off minor illnesses, like a cold. Research from 2017 found that studies conducted on mice suggested that the anthocyanins in cherries may help reduce weight gain and manage obesity. However, a 2023 review and meta-analysis found that in various studies, cherry juice had no effect on weight or body composition. Some research shows that cherries and cherry juice may have certain anticancer properties. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) states that there’s convincing evidence that foods high in dietary fiber, like cherries, may help prevent colorectal cancer. The AICR also notes that there’s limited evidence that shows cherries and cherry juice may help to prevent lung cancer and other cancers, like bladder cancer. A 2021 review states that most studies have relied on in vitro studies. The authors of the review note that further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of cherries’ anticancer properties.
Considerations Before Drinking Tart Cherry Juice
But the same thing that makes it so potent can also create problems for people with certain medical conditions. Because tart cherry juice has such potent ingredients, you should consult with your doctor before taking it or any other supplement.
Sugar Content
Tart cherry juice contains sugar, and some brands may contain added sugars. If you have diabetes or another condition that affects blood sugar, you should speak to your doctor before adding tart cherry juice to your diet. Fruit juice, on the other hand, is higher in simple carbohydrates, and even natural sugar (fructose) could cause blood sugar spikes. A single serving of 100 percent tart cherry juice contains 33 grams of natural sugar (fructose). So if you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, be sure to speak to your doctor and a certified nutritionist to determine whether you should try it. Sorbitol, a natural sugar alcohol found in tart cherry juice, can also cause belly pain and diarrhea for some people. Those with Type 2 diabetes should also exercise caution, given the natural sugar content in tart cherry juice.
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Medication Interactions
Tart cherry juice may interact with some medications. Examples include:
- Medications used to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Blood thinners
- Antibiotics
- Corticosteroids (a type of anti-inflammatory drug)
Tart cherries, especially in supplement form, can interact with common blood pressure medications such as ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril) and beta-blockers (bisoprolol, carvedilol). Speak to your doctor if you are concerned about medication interactions with tart cherry juice. Tart cherry juice contains salicylates, which have anti-clotting properties similar to blood thinners like warfarin, and taking both could increase risk of bleeding.
Potential Side Effects
What may surprise some folks is that consuming tart cherry juice does have potential side effects. The abdominal pain and diarrhea are caused by sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that’s a type of carbohydrate found in some fruits and plants. Older adults with kidney disease should take caution, too. Fruit juice is high in potassium, and weaker kidneys can’t effectively filter out excess nutrients from the blood.
How to Incorporate Tart Cherry Juice into Your Diet
A typical serving size of tart cherry juice is 8 ounces. If you're exercising and lifting weights, research has explored how drinking 10-12 ounces of the juice twice daily might reduce muscle pain and damage. You don’t need to chug a whole glass of tart cherry juice to experience its benefits.
When is the best time to have tart cherry juice? While you can drink the juice any time of the day, you may want to pick the timing based on the benefits you seek. If you want to recover from a workout, take it after you exercise. If you want to see if tart cherry juice helps you sleep better, take it at night, at least an hour before going to bed. Kitchen says that because the melatonin-boosting effects peak in the system about one to three hours after drinking, it’s best consumed an hour before bed.
You’ll want to look for products that say unsweetened tart cherry juice concentrate, Kitchen explains, which will be the most nutrient- and antioxidant-dense form. Consider the following before drinking tart cherry juice.
Important Considerations
“There just hasn’t been enough research to confirm these claims about drinking tart cherry juice,” said Ashley Simper, a registered dietitian at OSF HealthCare. “While it’s been studied for years and shows potential, the data is mixed, and most of the results have been produced in labs or come from studies that only apply to specific populations, such as athletes. “For example, evidence supporting the use of tart cherry juice for sleep improvement is weak. Another example is tart cherries’ impact on gout.
If a person wants to add this juice to their diet, I’d recommend that they avoid drinking it daily and instead drink 8-16 ounces a few times a week,” she said. Drink less juice. “It’s also important to remember that while fruits are great sources of fiber, juicing removes all of that fiber, so you’d actually be better off eating tart cherries in their natural fruit form. They can be identified by their bright red color, whereas varieties of sweet cherries tend to be darker,” Ashley said. But don’t limit yourself to just eating tart cherries.