Tart Cherry Juice for Sleep and Health Benefits
Health Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice for Sleep
If you have problem with sleep than one othe best natural remedies is tart cherry juice for sleep quality.
Tart cherries are one of the few foods that contain melatonin, and researchers believe that it’s the combination of melatonin and procyanidins and anthocyanins two types of polyphenols in cherries that helps improve sleep.
The Montmorency variety of cherries have a sweet-sour taste and have been studied in depth for their health benefits.
In a 2018 randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled pilot study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics, Montmorency tart cherry juice was found to help prolong sleep by 84 minutes in a group of eight study participants ages fifty and older who reported suffering from insomnia.
The individuals in the group who drank Montmorency cherry juice consumed 8 fluid ounces of juice twice each day, once in the morning and 1-2 hours before bedtime, for fourteen days.
The signature ruby red color and tartness of cherries is attributed to anthocyanins. This tiny fruit has been researched and credited for relieving arthritis and gout symptoms and reducing muscle soreness after workouts, in addition to its sleep-promoting qualities.
A 1/2-cup serving of frozen tart cherries is also a good source of vitamin A and also provides a small amount of vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
How and When to Enjoy
June and July are peak months for fresh cherries in America. For the other ten months of the year when fresh cherries are not so readily available, tart cherry juice, dried cherries, or frozen cherries can be substituted. Whether you prefer to enjoy them fresh or dried, cherries make for a nutritious snack.
Dried fruits will always contain more natural sugar per ounce than their fresh counterparts since the water has been removed, making the sugar more concentrated.
It’s important to be mindful of serving sizes with all foods, but it can be easy to overconsume dried fruits since the recommended portion is only 1/4 cup.
For a balanced and more satisfying snack, I recommend pairing dried cherries with 1/4 cup of walnuts or almonds to help stabilize blood sugars and to provide protein and heart healthy fats to keep you feeling fuller longer.
Cooking with cherries? Think beyond pies, cobblers, and crisps! Cherries work well as a topping for oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and grain salads such as quinoa. They can also be used in a savory-sweet sauce paired with grilled meats.
It’s recommended to enjoy this tiny stone fruit an hour before bedtime for the best results.
History
Cherries have been relished for centuries around the globe and arrived in America with early settlers in the 1600s. The first cherry orchards planted for commercial purposes were in Michigan in the late 1800s, and the northern part of the state still remains one of the top cherry producing regions in the country, growing about 75 percent of the tart cherry crop. The sweeter varieties of cherries such as Bing, Rainier, and Lambert are mostly grown in Oregon and Washington.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts will vary between fresh, frozen, dried, canned, and tart cherry juice. The following nutrition facts are based on an 8-fluid-ounce serving of 100 percent tart cherry juice (with no added sugar):
Try Tea and Tart Cherry Juice
Green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid. One of its biological functions is to block the binding of L-glutamic acid (glutamate), which is the brain’s main excitatory neurotransmit- ter. Without increasing drowsiness, L-theanine increases alpha brain wave levels.
Alpha brain waves are the slowest brain waves noted while awake, and they provide vividness and clarity to visualizations. Studies of brain waves, meditation, learning, and relaxation associate the alpha brain wave state with calm- ness and feelings of peace.
You may notice that you go into an alpha state when you soak in a hot tub, relax in the shower, or daydream about that beach vacation. You should consider drinking a refreshing cup of green tea to promote alpha brain waves to calm anxiety and panic.
Chamomile tea is calming and supports sleep.
It is proven to reduce anxiety, nightmares, and insomnia. One active ingredient called apigenin reduces locomotor activity, which disrupts sleep in restless sleepers.
Also, the first controlled study of the use of chamomile extract showed that it has a moderate effect in reducing anxiety in people with general anxiety disorder. Barley tea contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid necessary for sleep and helps you relax.
Siberian ginseng tea contains triterpenoid saponins, substances that reduce stress. This tea helps blood circulation and regulates the amount of stress you experience,
Tart cherry juice can help increase the amount of time you sleep. A recent study performed at Louisiana State University demonstrated that consuming two 8-ounce (235 ml) glasses of cherry juice a day increased sleep time by almost 90 minutes in older indi- viduals.
However, not just any cherry juice will do. Tart cherry juice works best because it contains melatonin, the sleep neurohormone, and also proanthocyanidin, which gives the juice that ruby color.
Proanthocyanidin is an antioxidant that prevents the breakdown of tryptophan. Our bodies convert the amino acid tryptophan into the serotonin and melatonin needed for sleeping. A variation of the drink is to make a smoothie at night by adding frozen tart cherries to almond milk or coconut milk.
Leave a Reply