Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice
What if there was one thing you could easily add to your day to help get better sleep? Not only is it simple to add this into your daily routine, it also tastes great!
One of my first recommendations to clients having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep is to drink tart cherry juice.
Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice is one of the few foods naturally containing melatonin that has been studied for its sleep benefits. Researchers believe it’s the combination of melatonin and procyanidins and anthocyanins—two types of polyphenols—in cherries that helps improve sleep.
The Montmorency variety of cherries are the specific tart cherry were talking about here. This particular variety of cherry has been studied for its health benefits. In a 2018 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, Montmorency tart cherry juice was found to help prolong sleep by 84 minutes in a group of 8 adults ages 50+ who reported suffering from insomnia. Can you imagine getting nearly an hour and a half more sleep every night?!
That was from the one simple addition to their daily routine. The study participants drank 8 fluid ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning and then again 1-2 hours before bed for 14 days and saw these results.
Not only does tart cherry juice positively effect sleep, it can also decrease inflammation, providing some relief for chronic inflammatory conditions like arthritis. It can even be beneficial after a workout to help with recovery!
If you’ve experienced gout, you may have been told to drink tart cherry juice. That’s because the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits can help relieve gout symptoms and reduce the amount of uric acid in the blood.
Tart cherry juice for sleep
As I mentioned above, a research study in adults ages 50+ experiencing insomnia noticed improvements in sleep by drinking 8 fluid ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning and then again 1-2 hours before bed for 14 days. When working with clients, I start them off with a lesser amount of juice (about 4-6 ounces in the evening, 1-2 hours before bed) to see if the sleep benefits can be reached without as much tart cherry juice.
Why?
The main reason is cost. Tart cherry juice can range from $6-10 per 32 fluid ounce bottle and drinking 16 ounces of it a day means you’ll need a new bottle every 2 days! So, if sleep improvements can be achieved with less juice/less $, then that’s in my clients best interest.
The second reason I start with a reduced amount is because 100% tart cherry juice is still a fruit juice, meaning it’s lacking fiber and provides a quick dose of simple carbohydrates. I work with many individuals that have diabetes. A 4-6 ounce glass of juice can cause a blood sugar spike so I try to limit quantities of fruit juices. Notice I did NOT say ‘completely avoid’ because people with diabetes can still enjoy 100% fruit juices for their health benefits! Pairing the tart cherry juice with a fiber-rich, protein-containing food can be a way to help control the blood sugars and prevent a sudden spike. Almonds, walnuts, or pistachios would be a great option to pair with tart cherry juice!
Ready to learn more about using a food-first approach to better sleep? Read these articles!
