Cherries come in two types, tart and sweet. Tart cherries, also known as Prunus Cerasus) are classified into two groups, Amarelle cherries that have red pigment in the skin with clear flesh and Morello cherries that have red pigment skin and flesh. Tart cherries are used in cooking in pies, preserves, salads, side dishes and juices. Tart cherries contain phenolics, plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Tart cherry juice has been used to treat a variety of conditions including muscle pain, arthritis, sleep disorders and for overall health.
Reduces Muscle Pain
Tart cherries contain high levels of anthocyannis that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They have a similar effect to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, that athletes typically use during a competition to prevent and reduce pain.
A study by KS Kuehl, et al., published in the May 2010 issue of the "Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition" used a double blind, placebo controlled study of 54 healthy runners to determine the effectiveness of tart cherry juice on muscle pain. The runners were given tart cherry juice or placebo cherry juice twice daily for seven days. Their pain levels were assessed before and after a race. The runners given tart cherry juice reported significant reductions in post-race pain.
Anti-Imflammatory
Tart cherry juice is also an anti-inflammatory. It reduces swelling, inflammation and oxidative stress. The study by KS Kuehl, et al., assessed that tart cherry juice is a natural anti-inflammatory that has been shown "to reduce circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers." Tart cherry juice is a traditional homeopathic treatment for arthritis in the lay community. The study concluded that the anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherry warrant further studies in relation to the treatment of arthritis.
Sleep Aid
Drinking a glass of tart cherry juice in the evening may help you get to sleep easier. A study by WR Pidgeon, et al., published in the June 2010 "Journal of Medicinal Foods," found tart cherry juice helped insomnia patients get to sleep and sleep better. The sleep study followed 15 older adults with chronic sleep disorders over a two-week period. The group given tart cherry juice showed significant reductions in insomnia severity, but not in total sleep time.
Improved Health
Drinking tart cherry juice can improve overall health in healthy older men and women. Older adults have less resistance to oxidative damaged and drinking tart cherry juice can improve antioxidant defenses. A 2009 study by the Kronos Longevity Research Institute in Arizona found that consumption of tart cherry juice improves the body's ability to repair cell damage and reduce the effects of free radicals.
References
- Michigan State University: What is a Tart Cherry
- National Institutes of Health: Sour Cherry (Prunus Cerasus L) Anthocyanins as Ingredients for Functional Foods
- National Institutes of Health: Tart Cherry Anthocyanins Suppress Inflammation-Incuded Pain Behavior in Rat
- National Institutes of Health: Efficacy of Tart Cherry Juice in Reducing Muscle Pain During Running: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- National Institutes of Health: Influence of Tart Cherry Juice on Indices of Recovery Following Marathon Running
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