Research summary on health benefits of Tart Cherry extract
Tart Montmorency cherries are becoming increasingly popular as a supplement for athletes due to their high concentration of phytochemicals and anthocyanins, which have been linked to numerous health benefits. Each Tom & Jerry's Chocolate TartCherry contains 500 mg of Tart Cherry extract (dehydrated cherry skins) which is the daily recommended dosage of this powerful antioxidant.
For your reference, we've included a listing & links to a number of research studies that are driving this surge in popularity.
Studies that focus on the affect of Tart Cherry on Increases in Strength & Muscle Endurance
Ingesting tart cherry juice for 7 days prior to and during a strenuous running event can minimize post-run muscle pain.
Kuehl KS, Perrier ET, Elliot DL, Chesnutt JC. Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010 May 7;7:17. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-7-17. PMID: 20459662; PMCID: PMC2874510. (Learn More)
The cherry juice appears to provide a viable means to aid recovery following strenuous exercise by increasing total antioxidative capacity, reducing inflammation, lipid peroxidation and so aiding in the recovery of muscle function.
Howatson G, McHugh MP, Hill JA, Brouner J, Jewell AP, van Someren KA, Shave RE, Howatson SA. Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010 Dec;20(6):843-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01005.x. PMID: 19883392. (Learn More)
480 Milligram of Tart Cherry powder shows similar results to12 ounces of Tart Cherry juice
Not only good for endurance recovery ...
Results revealed that short-term supplementation of Montmorency powdered tart cherries surrounding an endurance challenge attenuated markers of muscle catabolism, reduced immune and inflammatory stress, better maintained redox balance, and increased performance in aerobically trained individuals.
Levers K, Dalton R, Galvan E, O'Connor A, Goodenough C, Simbo S, Mertens-Talcott SU, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Riechman S, Crouse S, Kreider RB. Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on acute endurance exercise performance in aerobically trained individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2016 May 26;13:22. doi: 10.1186/s12970-016-0133-z. PMID: 27231439; PMCID: PMC4880859. (Learn More)
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Nov 16;12:41. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0102-y. PMID: 26578852; PMCID: PMC464762Vitale KC, Hueglin S, Broad E. Tart Cherry Juice in Athletes: A Literature Review and Commentary. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017 Jul/Aug;16(4):230-239. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000385. PMID: 28696985.9. (Learn More)
but also recovery from resistance training...
Short-term supplementation of Montmorency powdered tart cherries surrounding a single bout of resistance exercise, appears to be an effective dietary supplement to attenuate muscle soreness, strength decrement during recovery, and markers of muscle catabolism in resistance trained individuals.
Levers K, Dalton R, Galvan E, Goodenough C, O'Connor A, Simbo S, Barringer N, Mertens-Talcott SU, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Riechman S, Crouse S, Kreider RB. Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on an acute bout of intense lower body strength exercise in resistance trained males. (Learn More)
Helps with sleep & insomnia
Researchers from Louisiana State University found that drinking Montmorency tart cherry juice twice a day for two weeks helped increase sleep time by nearly 90 minutes among older adults with insomnia
Losso JN, Finley JW, Karki N, Liu AG, Prudente A, Tipton R, Yu Y, Greenway FL. Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms. Am J Ther. 2018 Mar/Apr;25(2):e194-e201. doi: 10.1097/MJT.0000000000000584. PMID: 28901958; PMCID: PMC5617749. (Learn More)
Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr. 2012 Dec;51(8):909-16. doi: 10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7. Epub 2011 Oct 30. PMID: 22038497. (Learn More)
May reduce sysmtoms of Gout
Reduce uric acid in blood
In a study included 633 individuals with gout, Cherry intake was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake.
Zhang Y, Neogi T, Chen C, Chaisson C, Hunter DJ, Choi HK. Cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks. Arthritis Rheum. 2012 Dec;64(12):4004-11. doi: 10.1002/art.34677. PMID: 23023818; PMCID: PMC3510330. (Learn More)
Compared to non-users, cherry extract/juice users had significantly lower gout flares in the previous month. The authors of the study caution that this indicates an association and not causation.
Singh JA, Bharat A, Edwards NL. An internet survey of common treatments used by patients with gout including cherry extract and juice and other dietary supplements. J Clin Rheumatol. 2015 Jun;21(4):225-6. doi: 10.1097/RHU.0000000000000246. PMID: 26010189; PMCID: PMC4974079. (Learn More)
Current evidence supports an association between cherry intake and a reduced risk of gout attacks. More research is recommended.
Chen PE, Liu CY, Chien WH, Chien CW, Tung TH. Effectiveness of Cherries in Reducing Uric Acid and Gout: A Systematic Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019 Dec 4;2019:9896757. doi: 10.1155/2019/9896757. PMID: 31885677; PMCID: PMC6914931. (Learn More)
Supports Brain Health
Daily tart cherry juice consumption may improve cognitive abilities. This may be through anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherry and its ability to lower BP. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Chai SC, Jerusik J, Davis K, Wright RS, Zhang Z. Effect of Montmorency tart cherry juice on cognitive performance in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Food Funct. 2019 Jul 17;10(7):4423-4431. doi: 10.1039/c9fo00913b. PMID: 31287117. (Learn More)
In a 3-month double-blinded, placebo-controlled parallel study, test data suggest an anti-fatiguing effect (lower mental fatigue ratings) of tart cherry supplementation as well as the ability to improve sustained attention during times of high cognitive demand.
Kimble R, Keane KM, Lodge JK, Cheung W, Haskell-Ramsay CF, Howatson G. Polyphenol-rich tart cherries (Prunus Cerasus, cv Montmorency) improve sustained attention, feelings of alertness and mental fatigue and influence the plasma metabolome in middle-aged adults: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2022 Feb 3;128(12):1-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522000460. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35109960; PMCID: PMC9723490.
Ready to start incorporating Tart Cherry into your daily diet ? Try some by clicking the image below :-)