Tart cherries, also known as sour cherries or Montmorency cherries, have accumulated an impressive evidence base for two clinically relevant applications: sleep improvement and exercise recovery. Both effects are mechanistically explained by the concentration of naturally occurring melatonin and anthocyanins in the fruit.
Sleep Evidence
A randomised crossover trial published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that two weeks of tart cherry juice consumption significantly increased sleep time by 25 minutes and sleep efficiency in older adults with insomnia. The urinary excretion of melatonin was significantly higher in the cherry juice period. A second trial in adults with insomnia found that two daily servings of tart cherry juice for two weeks improved self-reported sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep efficiency compared to a placebo beverage.
Exercise Recovery Evidence
Tart cherry consumption has been tested in multiple randomised trials for exercise-induced muscle damage. Research from Northumbria University found that athletes consuming tart cherry juice for seven days prior to and two days after a long-distance race had significantly less muscle soreness, less strength loss, and faster recovery of muscular function compared to a placebo group. The mechanism involves the anthocyanins reducing oxidative damage and inflammatory signalling in exercised muscle.
- Tart cherry juice: 240 to 300ml twice daily has been used in most research; Montmorency tart cherry is the most studied variety
- Frozen tart cherries: less concentrated but more palatable as a food rather than a beverage
- Tart cherry concentrate capsules: available where access to fresh or frozen tart cherries is limited
- Best timing for sleep: consume in the evening; best timing for recovery: consume before and after exercise