Cherry juice is fast becoming the drink of choice for many looking to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. This ruby-red drink is packed full of naturally occurring health benefits including aiding sleep, reducing joint pain, fighting gout attacks, boosting the immune system and more.
Thanks to countless hours spent by dedicated food researchers, we now have a better understanding of how important the health benefits of tart cherry juice really is.
#1: Your Body is Meant to Move
Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis. This affliction causes pain and stiffness in joints and could limit movement of the individual. Fortunately, a 2013 study using cherry juice for joint pain sufferers showed impressive results.
The research was conducted over a 6-week period. The researchers used a widely known research used by healthcare professionals. It is called the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index. This method tests for range of physical movement, stiffness and pain.
The results of the study indicated an improvement in the scores for those drinking cherry juice in comparison to drinking the placebo.
Concentrated Cherry Juice Information:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458413008029
#2: No More Gout Attacks
Did you know gout is actually a form of arthritis? Gout is widely known to create swelling, pain, heat and redness in the afflicted areas. A 2012 study involved 633 participants experiencing gout. The study had the participants either eat cherries, drink cherry juice or take cherry pills. The researchers found those who took the cherry-products, not the placebo, enjoyed a lower risk of repeated gout attacks.
This was due to the healthy levels of purines found in the blood after consuming the cherry-based products.
Cherry Juice Research:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/art.34677
#3: Sleep Soundly
Tart cherries are natures leading source of naturally occurring melatonin. A 2011, double-blind placebo study found the participants enjoyed better quality and longer sleep. The study consisted of 20 volunteers who either consumed tart cherry juice concentrate for 7 days or a placebo. The researchers took urine samples over a 48-hour periods.
This analysis of the urine shown the total amount of melatonin content was higher for those drinking the tart cherry juice concentrate drink. This, in fact, where all the same group that reported to enjoy higher quality and longer hours of sleep.
Cherry Juice and Sleep:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7
#4: Powerful Source of Antioxidants
A number of different powerful antioxidants are found in tart cherry juice including anthocyanins. There are over 350 different types of anthocyanins found in nature. However, it is due to the unique makeup of the anthocyanins found in tart cherry juice is what makes this red drink an antioxidant powerhouse.
Fruit and vegetable-based antioxidants help the body to fight free-radicals. Free radicals may cause cellular stress and damage. This may lead to disease and other health issues.
#5: Supports Your Immune System
Antioxidants may also help to kill microbes including bacteria. Bacteria can lead to cell damage, minor illness including colds and the flu. Drinking cherry juice, as a source of antioxidants, may assist with fighting commons issues including the cold, flu and other illnesses.
Tart Cherry Juice Research Information:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5613902/
#6: Helps Muscle Recovery
Post-muscle recovery is vital to maintaining a healthy workout schedule. Inflammation and pain can lead to muscle damage and extended pain if the body is not allowed to recovery from exercise properly. One study conducted on people who participated in a marathon showed positive results for cherry juice. The published research found those drinking tart cherry juice before and after a marathon enjoyed faster recovery and less pain.
Muscle Recovery and Cherry Juice:
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-015-0085-8
The Best Cherry Juice
Cherry Juice is made from mixing concentrate tart cherry juice with water to make a 100% pure glass. Most of the published studies on the natural benefits of cherry juice has be conducted using the Montmorency tart cherry.
The Traverse Bay Farms region of Michigan grows over 60% of all of the tart cherries in the United States.
In addition, check to label of the bottle to ensure the tart cherry juice you are drinking states “Montmorency” on the label.
Sources and References:
- Effects of a Tart Cherry Juice Beverage on the Sleep of Older Adults with Insomnia: A Pilot Study – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms. – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov