Combats Harmful Free Radicals
Cherries are packed with anthocyanins, which give them their deep red color and act as powerful antioxidants. Both sweet and tart cherries are full of these antioxidants, though tart cherries have a higher concentration. Antioxidants play a crucial role in protecting our cells from damage, which can lead to cancer, aging, and various diseases. By eating cherries or drinking cherry juice—whether it’s fresh, dried, or even frozen or canned—you’re helping to neutralize harmful free radicals in your body. While frozen and canned cherries might have slightly fewer antioxidants compared to fresh ones, they still offer significant benefits, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Eases Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis where the cartilage that cushions the joints breaks down, causing pain and inflammation as bones start to rub together. Many people turn to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for relief, but these can lead to serious side effects like stomach issues, high blood pressure, and kidney problems, especially with long-term use.
Cherry juice might offer a natural alternative for managing osteoarthritis pain. A study focused on tart cherry juice found that it can help alleviate symptoms in people with knee osteoarthritis. In the study, 58 non-diabetic patients drank two eight-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice every day for six weeks. Many of them experienced relief from pain and other symptoms related to mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis.
Supports Heart Health
Cherries, particularly tart ones, might offer heart health benefits comparable to some medications, according to research from the University of Michigan. Animal studies indicate that tart cherries can help lower the risk of stroke. While certain drugs known as PPAR agonists can manage fat and glucose levels for people with metabolic syndrome—a condition that increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes—they can also raise the risk of stroke with long-term use. Recent findings suggest that tart cherries can provide similar cardiovascular benefits without the added risk. Even when used alongside other medications, tart cherries may help reduce the chance of stroke.
4. Reduces muscle pain
Drinking tart cherry juice may have a significant impact on reducing muscle damage and pain during strenuous exercise. Endurance athletes often use NSAIDs during competition to prevent or reduce pain.
So, the Oregon Health & Science University’s department of medicine studied the effects of tart cherries on athletes for pain management. Marathon runners drank tart cherry juice or a placebo drink twice daily for seven days before their race. While both groups experienced pain, those who drank the cherry juice had significantly less post-run muscle pain.
5. Reduces cancer-causing carcinogens
Substances in tart cherries can reduce the formation of carcinogens that develop from the charring of meat, like hamburgers. But carcinogens in any form has the potential to cause cancer. Carcinogen exposure can come through inhalation, ingestion or absorption. Carcinogens affect DNA, causing dangerous changes at the cellular level. These changes can lead to abnormal cell growth with the potential to metastasize or spread to other parts of the body.
Adding cherries to hamburger meat not only retards spoilage but also reduces the formation of suspected cancer-causing compounds. These compounds are known as HAAs (heterocyclic aromatic amines). Researchers found that burgers containing 15 percent fat and 11.5 percent tart cherries had “significantly” fewer HAAs when pan fried. Meanwhile, cherry burgers have become increasingly popular on school lunch menus in 16 states throughout the U.S.
