Concentrated black cherry juice is made from black cherries, and the black cherry tree can be found growing naturally in Canada and parts of the eastern United States, according to the University of Connecticut. The scientific name is Prunus serotina. This fruit's juices have had many reported health benefits. A paper published in the "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition" stated that cherries are rich in quercetin, fiber, hydroxycinnamates, vitamin C, anthocyanins, potassium, carotenoids and melatonin. Because cherries have all these nutrients, there is significant potential for research regarding cherry intake and the prevention of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, inflammatory diseases and heart disease.
Cardiovascular Health
While drinking concentrated black cherry juice tastes good, it may also be good for your heart. A 2007 study touted by "Weber Shandwick Worldwide" showed that the consumption of cherries or cherry components can lower your risk for heart disease. Researchers found that the risk of metabolic syndrome was lowered, which is a precursor for heart disease.
Gout or Arthritis Treatment
Proponents of concentrated black cherry juice exclaim that it is a treatment for gout and arthritis. According to Joint-pain.com, compounds in cherries can relieve pain caused by these afflictions. One of the main causes of gout pain is uric acid in the blood, and cherries lower uric acid levels. One study published in the "Journal of Nutrition" supports this theory: when uric acid levels were measured after eating cherries and compared to levels of uric acid prior to eating cherries, there was a significant decrease. The study also found that cherry compounds may reduce inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory pathways.
Antioxidants
Cherry juice concentrate was found to have 12,800 ORAC units; ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate, according to ChooseCherries.com. Getting enough antioxidants daily is important because these compounds fight oxidants that can damage your body's systems. Antioxidants will lower your risk of disease, stimulate your immune system, protect your brain's neurons, and help slow the aging process, states ChooseCherries.com.
Risks
When drinking black cherry juice concentrate, you need to be wary of the fact that it can, in fact, be toxic. Tandurust.com states that black cherry juice contains trace amounts of cyanide, which is a deadly poison to humans. Additionally, black cherry juice can affect healthy body tissues. More research needs to be done in order to map out proper dosing and labeling.
References
- Tandurust.com: Black Cherry Health Information
- University of Connecticut: Prunus serotina
- Joint-Pain.com: Cherry Juice Gout Treatment
- ChooseCherries.com: Pain/Recovery
- Journal of Nutriton; Consumption of cherries lowers plasma urate.
- Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition; Cherries and health: a review; McCune LM., et al; Jan. 2011
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