Tart cherry juice is loaded with antioxidants and numerous important nutrients. It may also be associated with a range of health perks, including less muscle soreness and better sleep quality.
Tart cherries — sometimes called sour, dwarf, or Montmorency cherries — have grown in popularity over recent years.
Unlike sweet cherries, which are commonly eaten fresh, tart cherries are frequently consumed dried, frozen, or as juice.
Tart cherry juice is produced from the fruit of the Prunus cerasus tree, native to southwestern Asia and Europe, and has been connected to several notable health effects (1).
That said, some commercial tart cherry juices include considerable added sugars. Therefore, you’ll likely get the greatest benefits from unsweetened products.
Below are 10 science-backed health benefits of tart cherry juice.
1. High in nutrients
Tart cherry juice provides a variety of nutrients. One 8-ounce (240-milliliter) serving supplies the following (2, 3):
- Calories: 149
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams (g)
- Protein: 1 g
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Copper: 12% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Potassium: 9% of the DV
- Manganese: 7% of the DV
- Magnesium: 7% of the DV
- Iron: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin A: 6% of the DV
Compared with sweet cherry types, tart cherries may contain far more vitamin A — up to about 20 times as much — and older research suggests their antioxidant content can be several-fold higher (4, 5, 6, 7).
A simple way to distinguish tart from sweet cherries is color: sweet cherries are generally darker, while tart cherries often keep a bright red hue after harvest.
Remember that some tart cherry juice products have high amounts of added sugar, so choose unsweetened options when possible.
Summary: Tart cherry juice delivers many nutrients and plant compounds. Versus sweet cherry juice, it may offer higher quantities of certain nutrients.
2. May boost strength and lessen muscle soreness
People who exercise regularly may be especially interested in tart cherry juice’s effects on muscle strength and soreness.
Most studies report beneficial outcomes.
In one earlier trial, long-distance runners consumed either 24 oz (710 mL) of tart cherry juice or a placebo during the 7 days prior to and on the day of a race (8).
Runners who had the cherry juice reported roughly three times less pain during and after the race compared with those who received the placebo (8).
In a 2010 study, runners who drank 16 oz (480 mL) of cherry juice in the days before and right after a marathon showed less muscle damage, soreness, and inflammation, and they recovered faster (9).
Comparable findings have been seen with daily supplementation of 480 milligrams (mg) of tart cherry powder (10, 11).
Moreover, tart cherry juice and extracts may help retain muscle strength.
In one study, men took tart cherry supplements or a placebo in the days before and after an intense resistance workout (11).
The cherry supplement group experienced up to a 4% smaller loss of muscle strength following the session compared with the placebo group (11).
Tart cherry supplements may also curb muscle breakdown, reduce soreness, and speed recovery in resistance-trained people (11, 12).
Although most research is positive, a few studies observed no effects, so further investigation is warranted (13, 14).
Summary: Consuming tart cherry juice around intense exercise may help reduce strength loss and soreness, and may accelerate recovery.
3. Could improve sleep
Tart cherry juice might be a safe, effective option for treating insomnia and increasing nightly sleep duration.
Part of this effect could be due to tart cherries containing melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake rhythms and is commonly used as an insomnia supplement (15).
However, the melatonin amount in tart cherry juice is much lower than typical supplemental doses for insomnia. Thus, other substances in the cherries may also contribute to sleep benefits (15).
Tart cherries also contain small amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted to serotonin — a neurotransmitter linked to mood and sleep regulation — and serotonin can be further converted into melatonin (15, 16, 17).
Earlier research indicates that taking tart cherry juice raises melatonin levels and improves sleep quality and duration (18).
For example, in one trial, people with insomnia drank either 16 oz (480 mL) of tart cherry juice or the same volume of a placebo juice daily for two weeks. The cherry juice group averaged 84 more minutes of sleep (19).
Summary: Tart cherry juice may elevate melatonin levels and help reduce insomnia symptoms, leading to improved sleep quality.
4. May ease gout symptoms
Some research has examined tart cherry juice’s effects on gout, a form of arthritis characterized by recurrent swelling and severe pain (20).
Drinking tart cherry juice appears to lower blood uric acid levels — a compound that can trigger gout when elevated (21).
Additionally, several studies suggest that regular consumption of fresh cherries or tart cherry juice may be associated with fewer and less severe gout attacks (22, 23).
However, the evidence is limited and largely observational.
Therefore, it’s hard to conclude whether cherry juice directly reduces symptoms or if people experiencing fewer gout attacks are simply more likely to try remedies like tart cherry juice.
Summary: The anti-inflammatory actions of tart cherry juice may help reduce gout symptoms, but the effect seems modest and more rigorous research is necessary.
5. Might support brain health
Neurodegenerative illnesses such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are partly driven by oxidative stress (24).
Tart cherries and their juice are rich in antioxidants and other plant compounds that could protect brain cells (25).
In one earlier investigation, drinking 16 oz (480 mL) of tart cherry juice daily enhanced antioxidant defenses in healthy older adults (26).
In another trial, older adults with normal cognition drank either 2 cups (480 mL) of tart cherry juice or a placebo for 12 weeks (27).
Those who consumed tart cherry juice showed better memory scores and performed better on learning tasks at the study’s end than the placebo group (27).
Summary: Regular consumption of tart cherry juice, rich in antioxidants, may help preserve or enhance cognitive function.
6. May bolster the immune system
Tart cherry juice contains a range of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that can help support immune function.
Specifically, researchers think the juice’s high antioxidant content may lower infection risk.
For example, one study looked at how tart cherry juice affected upper respiratory symptoms often experienced by marathon runners after a race (28).
Runners who drank tart cherry juice in the days before and immediately after the marathon reported no upper respiratory tract symptoms, while 50% of those given a placebo did develop symptoms (28).
Summary: Tart cherry juice is nutrient-rich and may strengthen immunity, though additional studies are required.
7–10. Additional possible benefits
Tart cherry juice could provide several other health advantages.
- May guard against cancer: Certain antioxidants in tart cherry juice might slow cancer cell growth. However, human research is lacking and more high-quality, recent studies are needed (29).
- Could lessen pain: Tart cherry juice may help alleviate peripheral neuropathy, a painful condition due to nerve damage (30).
- May lower blood pressure: Some studies indicate tart cherry juice intake may produce modest reductions in blood pressure (31, 32).
- Could aid weight loss: In a 2009 animal study, tart cherry powder reduced body weight, abdominal fat, and blood cholesterol, but human trials are needed to confirm these effects (33).
Summary: Tart cherry juice may offer the benefits listed above, but more research is necessary before definitive claims can be made.
Safety, dosage and timing
If you want to try tart cherry juice for its potential benefits, following dosing similar to that used in studies might be helpful.
Most trials that reported positive effects provided participants with two daily 8-oz (240-mL) servings of juice.
This roughly corresponds to consuming about 75–120 tart cherries per day (28).
For tart cherry powder supplements, studies commonly used about 480 mg per day.
Benefits were typically observed after 7–10 days of regular use.
Generally the juice is safe for most individuals, but it contains high levels of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that can cause stomach discomfort and diarrhea in some people (34).
Tart cherry juice also contains quercetin, a plant compound that could interact with certain medications, particularly anticoagulants. Anyone on medication should consult their physician before adding large amounts of tart cherry juice to their diet (35, 36).
Summary: Tart cherry juice is safe for most people. Following the dosing used in studies may maximize potential benefits.
The bottom line
Tart cherry juice is nutrient-dense, may provide several notable health advantages, and is an easy addition to many diets.
It appears particularly useful for reducing exercise-related muscle soreness and for improving sleep.
Thus, people who are physically active and those with insomnia might consider trying this juice.
For best results, pick an unsweetened product or puree two handfuls of tart cherries with water to make your own fresh juice.
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