Potential Benefits of Organic Tart Cherry Juice

Organic Tart cherry juice is extracted from Montmorency cherries, also known as sour cherries. Tart cherries are a rich source of antioxidants. Recent medical research has suggested that they offer a range of health benefits from exercise recovery to better sleep. Although additional research is needed, tart cherry juice appears to improve overall health by reducing inflammation in the body.

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Benefits of Organic Tart Cherry Juice

People are always looking for easy, at-home remedies for added health benefits. Recently, tart cherry juice has been a topic of discussion. Many of you may have heard about those who take their daily dose of kombucha and apple cider vinegar, and tart cherry juice falls into this category, as it is also a natural, nutritious ritual you can easily add to your diet. But why add this to your diet? And does it work? As the juice has become increasingly popular, several successful studies have proven the health benefits of taking tart cherry juice. Let’s take a look.

Rich in Nutrients in Organic Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice contains an array of nutrients such as vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron, manganese, omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. All of these vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can help strengthen your immune system and fight heart disease. They have also been linked to potentially protecting against certain types of cancer.

Reduces Muscle Soreness

There have been multiple studies done on adults who are involved in high-intensity workouts. These studies have shown those who drink tart cherry juice leading up to an intense workout experience less pain, soreness, and inflammation compared to those who did not drink tart cherry juice. And they also have a quicker recovery.

Organic Tart Cherry Juice Helps Lose Weight

There has been evidence that tart cherry juice can help reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol. Tart cherry juice is not going to make you magically lose weight, but it will assist you in a weight-loss plan.

Organic Tart Cherry Juice Improves Sleep Quality

Tart cherries have high amounts of tryptophan and anthocyanins, which help the body produce melatonin — a hormone that aids in the regulation of sleep cycles. Studies have shown that people suffering from insomnia saw an increase in the duration of time they have slept and helped increase the quality of their sleep after drinking tart cherry juice. It is recommended to drink tart cherry juice an hour before bed.

Organic Tart Cherry Juice Has Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Tart cherry juice contains anthocyanins, which are anti-inflammatory compounds that may help to combat some chronic diseases. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, tart cherry juice significantly reduced inflammation biomarkers that are common in chronic diseases.

These anti-inflammatory properties may provide needed relief for people with arthritis. Studies show that tart cherries can help reduce the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and other joint pain disorders.

Exercise Recovery and Performance

Several studies have shown tart cherry juice to aid significantly in exercise recovery and muscle pain after exercise. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, college athletes experienced reduced muscle pain and strength loss after exertion when drinking tart cherry juice twice a day for eight days.

In addition to helping aid recovery, tart cherry juice can also improve athletic performance. Research shows that it may enhance endurance exercise performance due to its low glycemic index (causes a small, slow increase in blood sugar levels), anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative capacity (disease-fighting), as well as blood flow-enhancing effects.

Nutrition Information

One cup of tart cherry juice contains:

Recipe of Tart Cherry Juice

Ingredients

1 lb. (16 ounces) of cherries
2 lbs. sugar (less, if desired)
1/2 pint water
3 bottles of carbonated water (soda)

Method

Put the clean, seedless cherries and sugar in a saucepan. If you want your cherries on the super-tart side, add less sugar. You can also use a sugar substitute (like Splenda), honey, or agave syrup.
- To get the cherry pits out, score them along their sides with a knife. You may be able to pop the pits right out — or just take a butter knife and wedge them out if they’re being difficult.
Cover the pan and leave it at room temperature for 2 hours. They need time to soak up the sweetness of the sugar. It’ll be so tangy that you’ll need the water to dilute it later.
Add the 1/2 US pint (950 ml) of water and stir until all the sugar dissolves. You’re looking for one mostly uniform consistency (the cherry chunks will keep it from being entirely uniform).
Bring the contents up to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes. It should maintain a light bubble the entire time, reducing the liquid and turning almost syrupy.
When finished, strain the mixture. Squeeze all the moisture from the cherries into a separate saucepan. Don’t just strain it — really squeeze out all the juices.

Additionally, More

You’re finished with the cherries; you can throw them away. Or keep them for a topping or a preserve!
Simmer the strained liquid until it thickens like maple syrup. Then take the pan off, let it cool to room temperature, and move it to a sealed vessel for storage in a refrigerator. That’s it!
- The consistency is right; this is basically tart cherry juice concentrate. It’s not supposed to be like juice — it should be much thicker.
To serve this drink, put one or two spoons of it into a glass of soda water. Sparkling water (or even just water) works, too. Feel free to experiment with the ratio to find your personal taste. It may take a try or two — but once you find the right combination, it’ll be easy.
- Keep the rest in a resealable container to save for later. It’ll keep for a couple of weeks if kept tight and in the refrigerator.

Tart Cherries Can Lower Your Blood Pressure

Doctors often use a blood test measuring C-reactive protein (or CRP) to foretell the development of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases in patients. And an increase in CRP often comes along with a diagnosis of hypertension. Though actions like limiting sodium and eating more high-fiber foods are often nutritional recommendations for people with high blood pressure, “there are multiple studies showing reduced CRP with drinking tart cherry juice,” McHugh says.

In one study, men with early hypertension who consumed 2 ounces of tart cherry juice concentrate reduced systolic blood pressure within 2 hours. In another study, men and women with moderately elevated blood pressure who drank 2 ounces of tart cherry juice concentrate also significantly reduced systolic blood pressure within 2 hours. And in yet another study, men and women who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice a day for 12 weeks had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and LDL cholesterol than those who drank a placebo.

Conclusion

Tart cherry juice is rich in many vitamins, minerals, and also beneficial plant compounds that proved to offer a boost to your immune system. In particular, researchers believe that tart cherries’ high antioxidant content may help prevent infections. There has been evidence that tart cherry juice can help reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol. Tart cherry juice is not going to make you magically lose weight, but it will assist you in a weight-loss plan.

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Potential Benefits of Organic Tart Cherry Juice, we All Should Know