Description
Dark cherries are a great gift from nature. They grow in temperate climates, and are well-known for improving sleep, among other benefits.
How to Do It
In a manual or automatic blender, mix the ingredients until they smooth. Serve and drink the juice immediately to take maximum profit from it. The nutrients in juices start getting oxidized once blended.
Or you can buy organic cherry juice at your local health food store.
Benefits
- Promotes better sleep
- Energy boost
- Immune response
- Overall health
- Anti-aging
- Post-workout recovery
- Alleviate gout
Time Commitment
2 minutes to prepare
Why it works
Its most renowned benefit is how it helps improve sleep, and this is thanks to the high levels of melatonin found in this fruit, among polyphenols that work which have neuroprotective effects.
These same polyphenols (like anthocyanins and procyanidins) also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which helps overall health by:
Promoting anti-aging as antioxidants.
Increasing immune response against inflammation and reducing levels of C-reactive protein (CRP).
Reducing serum uric acid, which is another biomarker of chronic inflammation (immune disbalance) and a risk factor for gout and Cardiovascular diseases.
Suggested Frequency
Daily, twice per day. Afternoon at latest.
Supporting Studies and Articles
- Overall health: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/786f/1b339d416956234f19ca92083d9e8fe6cdf1.pdf
- Effects on sleep: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20438325
- Immune health:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22111516
2) https://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/jfs/article/view/1927 - Post-workout recovery:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22111516
2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21659887 - Alleviate gout and chronic inflammation:
1) https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.339.2
2) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279508007_Efficacy_of_Tart_Cherry_Juice_to_Reduce_Inflammation_Biomarkers_among_Women_with_Inflammatory_Osteoarthritis_OA (this also works for 2nd side effect) - Carbs in tart cherry juice: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/?query=ndbNumber:9546
Side Effects
- Don’t drink during gastrointestinal upsets
- Weight gain if consumed too much, due to its high amount of calories, mostly if your diet is (still) high in carbs
Required Equipment
0.24L Water. A blender. Fresh dark cherries. Sweetener (optional). Sieve.
Suggested Time of Day
Breakfast and lunch
15-30 min After workout
Notes
- Drink it fresh (just after blending) to get the highest nutritional value
- Do not sweeten
- Complement with a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle.
