Benefits of Tart Cherries
Tart Cherry Juice health benefits, prevention of cancer, prevention of heart disease, improving circulation, speeding up healing process, preventing arthritis, improving focus and attention, help regulating sleep, preventing diabetes, boosting immune system, preventing respiratory problem and promoting weight loss.
Tart cherry juice is rich in various nutrients. An 8-ounce (240-ml) serving contains 119 calories and the following (1):
- Carbs: 28 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Vitamin A: 62% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 40% of the RDI
- Manganese: 14% of the RDI
- Potassium: 12% of the RDI
- Copper: 12% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 7% of the RDI
Tart cherry juice also contains smaller amounts of B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, omega-3 and omega-6 fats, in addition to antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds (1, 2).
Compared to sweet cherry varieties, tart cherries contain 20 times more vitamin A, and their antioxidant levels are up to five times higher (1, 3, 4, 5).
One easy way to tell tart cherries from sweet varieties is by their color. Sweet cherries tend to be darker in color, whereas tart cherries retain their bright red color after being harvested.
Keep in mind that some varieties of tart cherry juice contain substantial amounts of added sugars, so opt for an unsweetened variety.
A GLASS FOR A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP
Research shows that supplementing with tart cherry juice increases levels of melatonin and helps improve sleep quality and duration (15).
In one study, participants suffering from insomnia drank either 16 ounces (480 ml) of tart cherry juice or the same amount of a placebo juice each day for two weeks. The cherry juice increased sleep time by an average of 85 minutes (16).
Interestingly, tart cherry juice seems to be just as, if not more, effective at reducing insomnia than valerian and melatonin — the two most studied natural products for insomnia (17).
