Sour and black cherries are sometimes called nature's ibuprofen or nature's aspirin because they have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties reputed to alleviate pain. You may be especially tempted to try cherry juice if you have bleeding stomach ulcers that make taking certain pain medications problematic. Consult a doctor before you try this remedy, however, and use it only under your health care provider's supervision.
Significance
Black and sour cherries contain substances called anthocyanins. These flavonoids are responsible for the dark color of black cherries. These substances help reduce inflammation, making cherries useful for workout recovery or arthritis pain. In fact, one anthocyanin in cherries, called cyanidin, has better anti-inflammatory action than aspirin, according to a December 2004 "Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology" study.
Aspirin Alternative
The "natural aspirin" in cherries may be an alternative for you if you have ulcers or an allergy to aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds, according to Federica Blando, lead author for the "Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology" study. Both black cherries and sour cherries contain cyanidin.
Possible Risks
If you have bleeding ulcers, consult a doctor before trying cherry juice. Little information exists on potential adverse reactions from cherry juice, notes Drugs.com. High flavonoid intake from purple grape juice, which also contains anthocyanins, can inhibit platelet aggregation, theoretically raising your risk of bleeding, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute. The main risk is posed when the flavonoids are ingested along with anti-coagulant drugs, notes the institute. In general, adverse effects have not been associated with high dietary consumption of flavonoids in plant-based foods. The lack of adverse effects may be due to the rapid metabolism and elimination of most flavonoids, as well as their low bioavailability, according to the institute.
Considerations
Do not confuse black or tart cherry with wild cherry, sometimes called wild black cherry or black choke cherry. The bark from this type of cherry is used in cough medicines and lozenges because it contains prussic acid, which calms your coughing reflex. One of wild cherry's possible side effects is ulcers, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide," by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox.
References
- "Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology"; Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L) Anthocyanins as Ingredients for Functional Foods; Federica Blando, et al.; December 2004
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States; N.P. Seeram, et al.; February 2008
- New York Daily News: "Training With Tart Cherries -- Nature's Ibuprofen"; Lauren Johnston; January 2011
- "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide"; George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox; 2007 page 487
- "Food Chemistry"; Correlation of Two Anthocyanin Quantification Methods; Jungmin Lee, et al.; March 2008
- "Journal of Agroalimentary Processes and Technologies"; The Influence of pH to the Visible Absorption of Cyanidin from the Black Cherry and Betanin from Beetroot; Ramona Cristina Biron, et al.; 2005
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