The Recommended Amount Of Tart Cherry Juice You Should Drink

Tart cherry juice may not be the most tasty fruit juice, but it offers a number of health benefits. Tart cherries, which aren't the same as sweet Bing cherries, contain a wealth of nutrients, including super-healthy anthocyanins and antioxidants. All forms of tart cherries, including whole fruit, tart cherry extract and tart cherry juice, may be beneficial in treating gout and muscle pain as well as improving the overall health of older adults. As of 2011, there is no recommended dose of tart cherry juice for medical problems, so consult your physician for advice on how much you should drink daily.

Nutrients in Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice, from the Prunus cerasus cherry tree, is also called sour cherry juice because of its bitter taste. It's available as a fully constituted fruit juice and as a fruit juice concentrate. Tart cherries are loaded with powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are measured in units called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC. Tart cherry juice concentrate contains the highest concentration of antioxidants, according to The Cherry Marketing Institute, with a rating of 12,800 ORAC units per 100 grams of tart cherries. Tart cherries are also a good source of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A during digestion.

Gout Treatment

Tart cherry juice appears to be effective in alleviating pain associated with an attack of gout by lowering uric acid levels and reducing inflammation. Although there is no official set amount of cherry juice you should take for gout, researchers at the European League Against Rheumatism found 1 tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate taken twice daily for four months helped reduce gout attacks in the study participants. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests taking 8 ounces to 16 ounces of tart cherry juice daily to lower uric acid levels and relieve gout symptoms.

Muscle Pain

Drinking tart cherry juice before performing vigorous exercise may help reduce post-exercise muscle pain. Intense physical exercise, such as long distance running, causes inflammation that damages your muscles. A 2010 study published in the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition" found marathoners who drank 355 milliliters, or about 12 ounces, of tart cherry juice twice per day for one week prior to the race and on the race day complained of less muscle pain post-race than those who drank a placebo.

Improved Overall Health

The anthocyanins in tart cherry juice may help improve the overall health status of older adults by reducing tissue damage from oxidative stress. According to a 2009 study published in "The Journal of Nutrition," participants who drank 240 milliliters, or about 8 ounces, of tart cherry juice twice per day for two weeks showed improved antioxidant defenses than those who were given a placebo. However, more clinical studies are needed to determine the exact amount of tart cherry juice that is beneficial. Therefore, it's important to talk to your doctor before drinking it for medicinal purposes.