By: Lilli Rozanski MS, RDN, LDN, Sports and Fitness Dietitian, Thibodaux
Regional Medical Center
Tart cherry juice is becoming increasingly popular in the fitness and athletic
worlds for good reason. Tart cherries are really sour cherries with the
most common type being the Montmorency cherry. They contain a high amount
of anthocyanins, which are flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties. Studies show tart cherry juice may improve muscle function
and speed up recovery by reducing inflammation, muscle damage and muscle
soreness after exercise. The antioxidant properties of tart cherry juice
also help give your immune system a nice boost!
If those weren’t enough benefits to make you consider adding tart
cherry juice to your diet, tart cherries also contains melatonin, which
is a hormone in the brain that helps regulate your body’s sleep
cycle naturally. One study shows participants who consumed two 8-oz servings
of tart cherry juice per day demonstrated significant improvements in
sleep, experiencing 90 more minutes of effective sleep per night.
Watch a Video on the Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice does show promise in aiding post-exercise ailments. However,
it shouldn't be consumed as a replacement for a proper post-workout
meal or snack. If you would like to consume tart cherry juice to help
with exercise recovery, based on the amount given during studies, the
recommendations are:
- Drink 8 oz before activity
- Drink 8 oz after activity
Like any supplement, cherry juice may not work for everyone. More data
to back up these cherry juice studies would be welcome and are still needed
to complete the cherry juice story. But if you are entering an intense
training cycle or have an upcoming race and want to improve your recovery
by managing inflammation and reducing muscle soreness, it is worth a try!
(References available upon request)