Scientists are studying tart cherry juice, rich in antioxidants, for possible weight loss and cholesterol-lowering benefits. Research remains insufficient, however, to recommend tart cherry juice for slimming your waist or protecting your heart. But, if you drink 100 percent tart cherry juice in moderation, it will not likely cause harm.
Weight Gain
The biggest risk in drinking tart cherry juice may stem from believing unsubstantiated claims about the product. No human study links tart cherry juice consumption to weight loss. Drinking tart cherry juice could make you gain weight. A 1 oz. serving of one brand of tart cherry concentrate mixed with 1 cup of water contains 110 calories. If you drank two glasses daily without subtracting anything from your normal diet, you could gain 1 lb. every 16 days, based on the formula that 3,500 calories equals 1 lb. If you choose a sweetened variety of tart cherry juice, you risk additional weight gain. To alleviate the risk of weight gain, substitute tart cherry juice for another beverage or food that contains about the same number of calories.
Animal Study
It's risky to assume that the results of a single animal study -- or multiple animal studies -- applies to humans. But the single published study linking tart cherry juice to weight loss involved rats, not people. Rats fed a high-fat diet and tart cherry extract lost weight and lowered their cholesterol levels, according to the University of Michigan study. Rats that ate high-fat foods without taking tart cherry extract did not. More research is needed to determine whether the results apply to people. Lead author E.M. Seymour published his findings in the October 2009 issue of the "Journal of Medicinal Food."
Triglycerides
Any food that contains sugar may elevate your triglycerides, a type of fat that accumulates in your arteries and increases your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. If you drank more than 1.5 cups of tart cherry juice daily, you might increase your triglycerides. A cup of tart cherry juice contains about 19 g of sugar -- about 75 calories' worth. The American Heart Association recommends you limit consumption of foods with added sugar to 100 to 200 a day -- 5 percent to 10 percent of your daily total, based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
Considerations
If you drink tart cherry juice in moderation, you face no known health risk. Fresh tart cherries provide greater benefits and fewer risks, however. They provide about the same number of calories as tart cherry juice, but no added sugars. A cup of tart cherries contains 2.5 g of fiber per 1 cup serving, but cherry juice contains none. Fiber may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels as well as help you lose weight.
References
- Cherry Bay Orchards: Montmorency Tart Cherry Concentrate
- "Journal of Medicinal Food"; Regular Tart Cherry Intake Alters Abdominal Adiposity, Adipose Gene Transcription, and Inflammation in Obesity-Prone Rats Fed a High Fat Diet; E.M. Seymour, et al.; October 2009
- United States Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database
- "Circulation"; Triglycerides and Cardiovascular Disease A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association; Michael Miller, et al.; April 18, 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber: Essential For A Healthy Diet; Nov. 17, 2009
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