Cherries
What benefits do cherries have for my health?
The benefits of tart cherries could not be listed on one single page. They are too numerous and widespread. From athletics to general health and nutrition, even on to mental health, cherry benefits are wide-ranging. In fact, published reports show that cherries decrease “oxidative stress, inflammation, exercise-induced muscle soreness and loss of strength, and blood pressure acutely after ingesting cherries” (Kelley et al.).
When it comes to general health, tart cherries have been found to help in “lowering blood pressure, modulating blood glucose, enhancing cognitive function, protecting against oxidative stress and reducing inflammation” (Mayta-Apaza et al.).
Not only this, tart cherries have natural melatonin to help improve sleep cycles. Over 33% of U.S. adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis (“5 Things You Need To Know About Tart Cherries”). Studies have found they provide “an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep” (Howatson et al.).
In regards to athletics specifically, tart cherries can play a significant role in improving the muscle recovery process. A study on tart cherry consumption by cyclers found that Montmorency tart cherries are a “functional food for accelerating recovery and reducing exercise-induced inflammation” (Hanninen et al.). In another study, it was found that tart cherry juice decreased “symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage”. Specifically, strength loss after eccentric exercise was 22% with the placebo but only 4% with the cherry juice (Connolly et al.).
Sources:
Connolly, D. AJ, et al. “Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage.” BMJ Journals, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 17 January 2019, https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/40/8/679.short. Accessed 18 November 2022.
“5 Things You Need To Know About Tart Cherries.” Shoreline Fruit, 7 May 2019, https://www.shorelinefruit.com/blog/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-tart-cherries. Accessed 18 November 2022.
Hanninen, O., et al. “Recovery facilitation with Montmorency cherries following high-intensity, metabolically challenging exercise.” Canadian Science Publishing, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 26 November 2014, https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/apnm-2014-0244. Accessed 18 November 2022.
Howatson, Glyn, et al. “Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality.” Springer Link, European Journal of Nutrition, 17 January 2019, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7. Accessed 18 November 2022.
Kelley, Darshan S., et al. “A Review of the Health Benefits of Cherries.” NCBI, National Library of Medicine, 17 March 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872786/. Accessed 18 November 2022.
Mayta-Apaza, Alba, et al. “Tart Cherries and health: Current knowledge and need for a better understanding of the fate of phytochemicals in the human gastrointestinal tract.” Taylor and Francis, 30 October 2017, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2017.1384918. Accessed 18 November 2022.
“The Chemistry of Cherries – Compound Interest.” CompoundChem, Compound Interest, 21 July 2016, https://www.compoundchem.com/2016/07/21/cherries/. Accessed 18 November 2022.
