Tart cherry juice is scientifically proven to be good for arthritis, gout, sleep problems and muscle recovery post-exercise, among other benefits.
The benefits of Montmorency tart cherry juice include arthritis pain relief, reduced number of gout attacks and overall less inflammation in the body, better sleep and better blood pressure numbers and a faster recovery of muscles following exercise, with reduced loss of muscle strength, fewer muscle cramps, spasms and less soreness. Montmorency tart cherry juice produced from fresh or frozen cherries and juice from cherry concentrate were proven to be effective for inflammatory conditions and other health-related issues.
What are Montmorency cherries?
Montmorency cherries are a variety of tart or sour cherry with lighter red skin and almost colorless pulp. They belong to the Amarelle group, one of two major types of tart cherries (the other being Morello). Montmorency cherries taste sour, with sharp flavor notes and are the source of the popular Montmorency tart cherry juice and Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate.
Montmorency tart cherry juice benefits
Benefits for arthritis
Montmorency tart cherry juice is good for arthritis, helping relieve joint pain and reduce swelling. The benefits are owed primarily to red pigmented anthocyanin antioxidants in the juice, but also vitamin C and other antioxidants. The tart cherry juice works by reducing levels of several inflammation markers in the body, including C-reactive protein, COX-1 and COX-2, nitric oxide, Interleukin 6 and 8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Tart cherry juice effectiveness for arthritis pain relief is comparable to the pain-relieving effects of some NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
See more benefits of cherry juice for arthritis pain.
Benefits for gout
Montmorency tart cherry juice is good for gout and can help reduce the incidence of gout flareups when consumed regularly. The benefits of Montmorency tart cherry juice and tart cherry juice in general for gout are owed to anti-inflammatory components, notably red pigmented anthocyanin antioxidants. The tart cherry juice works by lowering inflammation markers in the body associated with gout flareups as well as lowering levels of uric acid in the blood.
See more benefits of cherry juice for gout.
Good for sleep problems
Drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice is good for sleep problems such as insomnia, improving sleep quality and even increasing sleep time by up to 90 minutes in some cases. Drinking the tart cherry juice regularly can help you sleep better thanks to a good content of melatonin, 6 times higher than in Balaton cherries. However, it might not be good to have the tart cherry juice at nighttime or before going to bed because it can cause acid reflux at night and disrupt your sleep.
Find out more about the benefits of cherry juice for sleep problems.
Benefits for high blood pressure
Montmorency tart cherries are relatively modest sources of potassium and magnesium, but almost sodium-free which makes them good for high blood pressure. Montmorency tart cherry juice is an even better source, concentrating the two dietary minerals and electrolytes in more significant amounts. Regular consumption of the tart cherry juice thus boasts important anti-hypertensive properties and helps lower high blood pressure numbers.
Benefits for muscle recovery
Montmorency tart cherry juice is good for muscle recovery post-workout, helping both recover muscle function and muscle strength, and reduce strength loss, muscle soreness and pain after exercise. The pathways through which the tart cherry juice accelerates muscle recovery following intense physical exercise include reduction of circulating inflammation markers and oxidative stress levels, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and stimulation of reparative processes via antioxidants and various other bioactive components with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
See more benefits of cherry juice for muscle recovery.
Good for strength loss post exercise
Strength loss post-workout is a natural side effect of the overuse of muscles and is caused by muscle damage. Consumed regularly, Montmorency tart cherry juice can help reduce strength loss post-workout, contributing to benefits such as a faster recovery of the muscles and increased endurance as well as better exercise performance.
Good for muscle cramps, spasms, soreness, pain
Montmorency tart cherry juice and tart cherry juice in general is good for muscle cramps, muscle soreness and muscle pain. Repeated high-intensity physical exercise causes muscle damage and oxidative stress and inflammation resulting in symptoms such as muscle soreness, muscles aches and pain, including painful muscle cramps such as painful calf cramps or leg cramps at night or after exercise. Montmorency tart cherry juice and tart cherry juice in general, consumed both pre and post-workout, can help reduce oxidative and inflammatory processes and reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness and pain.
How much Montmorency tart cherry juice should you drink a day?
There’s really no telling how much Montmorency or other tart cherry juice you should drink a day to get benefits for arthritis, gout or other forms of inflammation in the body, sleep problems or to boost muscle recovery post-exercise and reduce loss of muscle strength, soreness and pain.
Various studies that have yielded results have used between 30 ml and 60 ml of juice and 45-50 to 90 Montmorency cherries, or their equivalent in juice form. Some studies obtained results with 10-12 oz of tart cherry juice a day, split in two doses, half in the morning and half in the second part of the day. So while tart cherry juice, Montmorency or another kind, is scientifically proven to be good for inflammation, an average recommended intake a day has yet to be established.