Black cherry juice benefits our health in many ways because it is rich in essential nutrients.
Black cherries are commonly grown in North & South America.They are a delicious snack that also happens to be a healthy option as they are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, as well as potassium and antioxidants.
Black cherry juice is usually pasteurized and typically has preservatives added. Due to the bitterness of these cherries, sugar is usually added to the drink as well.
But beyond a healthy choice, what does black cherry juice offer a possible relief for?
1. Black Cherry Juice is Beneficial in Treating Arthritis
Arthritis is a blanket term for joint disease with over a hundred specific types. The general definition, though, is joint pain.
There can be many reasons for this, from inflammation to a lack of cartilage.
Though women and the elderly are more likely to suffer from it, but it may affect any age group or gender.
A child is less likely but still capable of having arthritis.
One in 5 adults is diagnosed with arthritis as are 1 in 250 children.(1)
According to the NIH, Arthritis and other forms of rheumatic conditions have been diagnosed in nearly 294000 American children.(2)
Studies, working in the field of osteoarthritis are less defining. This is a form of arthritis caused by worn down of cartilage in the joints.
Black cherries are useful in reducing inflammation and so can help arthritis with this as its cause.
It is too early to rule out or include other types of arthritis as benefiting from black cherry juice or not.
2. Black Cherry Juice Improves Blood Sugar Levels
Natural sugar, not refined or added sugar, is essential for our body.
This offers energy to the body and too much or too little has bad health effects.
There are two main types of blood sugar problems and though both can be controlled. But, it may be difficult.
The first is diabetes mellitus, which causes an excess amount of blood glucose levels. This can affect blood vessels, nerves, eyes, feet, or death, in the worst case, if it is uncontrolled for the long-term.
This metabolic disease alone affects nearly 8.5% of adults globally.(5)(6)
The opposite, low blood sugar, is known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia results in feelings of shaking, sweating, dizziness, and even faintness.
In extreme or in uncontrolled cases, this can end in comas or even death.(7)
Black cherry juice is good for blood sugar regulation (depending on the person’s needs) due to a high concentration of natural sugars and proteins.
This is particularly useful when blood sugar is running low.
3. Black Cherry Juice Helps to Control Uric Acid and Kidney Stones
Uric acid develops when the human body breaks down purines.
Purines are found in a variety of foods and some drinks.
Usually, this uric acid formation and flushing out from the body is not a serious concern. It filters through the kidneys and exits as urine.(8)
However, there can be a problem when the body either makes too much uric acid or retains too much of it in the body, as the uric acid can form crystals.
If these crystals settle in the joints, that can cause severe pain. This is condition is referred as gout.
If these crystals settle in the kidneys, they can cause kidney stones.(9)
Black cherry juice can serve as a good answer to these crystals. This is not because it breaks the crystals up.
Rather, it reduces the frequency at which the crystals are likely to occur.
This is because the antioxidants and vitamins A and C help uric acid to move smoothly through the system.
4. Black Cherry Juice Can Improve Your Sleep
Lack of sleep can be caused by many things. From sleep disorders themselves to stress, a lack of sleep is a personal and public problem.
It can cause small consequences such as distraction at work or school and larger consequences such as dozing while driving.
- According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 45% of American adults report that their daily activities are badly affected due to poor or insufficient sleep.(10)
Black cherry juice has been shown to help sleep as it contains melatonin, a hormone in the human brain that controls sleep cycles.
A lack of sleep can be due to the insufficient melatonin production.(11)
While the increase in melatonin is small, it is still better than taking no action.
Black cherry juice is a simple, easy way to get extra melatonin into your diet.
It will also help in getting and staying asleep.There is also some hormone serotonin, which aids in sleep because it relaxes the body.(12)
5. Black Cherry Juice Relieves Constipation
Constipation is a problem that occasionally affects everyone due to illness or for failing to eat a balanced diet.
Due to their high levels of protein and fiber, black cherries serve as a natural laxative.
6. Black Cherry Juice Reduces Stress and Boosts Energy
There is not a single person that hasn’t struggled with feeling stressed or tired.
As mentioned above, about 45% of Americans say that they had troubled sleeping that affects their routine activities.
Add this statistic to daily stresses from life and work and it’s bound to leave someone feeling a little drained.
However, since black cherry juice has melatonin and serotonin, it may be just the thing to help.
Serotonin is used as a mood regulator in the brain. With black cherry juice offering an extra bit of sleep, it could be just enough to boost your mood.
7. It’s Good for Your Bone Health
It has already been established that black cherry juice is good for joint inflammation and arthritis, but what about the bones health?
The elderly are more likely to have trouble with their bones than young adults.
As humans age, their bones get brittle and are more likely to crack.
So would black cherry juice help them?
The increased intake of black cherries makes the bones stronger. This is due to the presence of nutrients in the cherries called anthocyanins and antioxidants.(13)
The black cherry juice could be good for children as well since their bones are still developing.
8. It Fulfills Your Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency is caused if the iron intake is lesser than the recommended values in the body.
This can cause premature babies, birth defects, delay in growth and development and some other complications.
Iron deficiency also causes anemia.
Anemia is a condition when the number of red blood cells in our body drops.(14)
Black cherry juice is known to slow down the body’s absorption of iron.
This means that iron stays in the body for a longer period of time, giving the body time to catch up on under-produced iron.(15)
This is, of course, an additional step to take in controlling iron and not a treatment method.
9. It Nourishes Your Skin
From severe acne to the occasional blemish, everyone at some point has had to deal with skin problems.
These can be combated with different vitamins and antioxidants.
Black cherries are full of antioxidants which prevent skin aging.(16)
Vitamin C, also found in black cherries, protects skin against aging effects.
Black cherries also contain vitamin A, which is important in working with vitamin E to fight the development of acne.(17)(18)
10. It Improves Cardiovascular Health
Good cardiovascular health is important for a long life.
Anyone can improve cardiovascular health by reducing chances of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
The black cherry juice with its antioxidants and phenolic compounds is found useful in reducing chances of developing cardiovascular disorders.
Side Effects of Black Cherry Juice
Since black cherry juice can be used as a relief for constipation, drinking a lot of it could lead to diarrhea.
Black cherries have a naturally high sugar count and most juices add sugar on top of that.
There is also an added concern that, with its dark color and (if the specific brand has added sugar) high sugar content, it could be less than a dentist recommends for frequent consumption.
Who Should Avoid it?
The threat of weight gain is not enough to pose a real problem. However, anyone who has a sensitive stomach should probably avoid black cherry juice as well.
Cherries also contain sorbitol, which could cause harm to someone with irritable bowel syndrome.
Conclusion
Based on many scientific studies and evidence through use, black cherry juice has proven to be a viable option for many types of problems.
From constipation to insomnia to gout, black cherry juice seems to work wonders.
The only downside is that drinking too much could cause an upset stomach.
All in all, the Black Cherry juice is a drink whose benefits far outweigh any negativity.
There proves to be value in black cherry juice in fighting against iron deficiencies, the breakdown of bones, and even in fighting against aging.
All the evidence listed here suggest that black cherry juice is a fantastic addition to anyone’s diet.
Article Updated On: 08.07.2017