From the Guidelines
Tart cherry has several health benefits, including reducing muscle soreness and inflammation, although the evidence is not strong in the context of football 1.
Key Benefits
- Reducing exercise-induced muscle inflammation and free radical production 1
- Polyphenol-rich tart cherry juice may help with muscle recovery 1
- Reducing systolic blood pressure by 4.1 mm Hg in a randomized controlled trial 1
Alkaline Properties
There is no direct evidence in the provided studies to suggest that tart cherry is alkaline. However, it is known that tart cherry has a pH level of around 3.5, making it slightly acidic.
Important Considerations
- The available evidence does not support the specific use of tart cherry in football 1
- High doses of individual antioxidant vitamins may interfere with adaptive processes in muscle and is therefore discouraged 1
- Tart cherry juice may have benefits in reducing muscle soreness, but the overall effects are small 1
From the Research
Health Benefits of Tart Cherry
- Tart cherries have been found to have various health benefits, including reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving sleep, and decreasing markers of exercise-induced muscle damage 2.
- Consumption of tart cherries has also been shown to lower blood pressure, modulate blood glucose, and enhance cognitive function 3.
- Tart cherries are rich in polyphenols, including anthocyanins and flavonols, which have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties 2, 3.
- Studies have demonstrated that tart cherry consumption can reduce serum uric acid, a marker of inflammation, and improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage 2, 4.
Alkaline Properties of Tart Cherry
- There is no direct evidence in the provided studies to suggest that tart cherries are alkaline.
- However, tart cherries have been found to have a low glycemic index, which may indicate that they do not have a significant impact on acid-base balance in the body 5.
Effects of Tart Cherry on Exercise Performance and Recovery
- Tart cherry juice has been found to have no significant effect on exercise performance, substrate oxidation, or recovery from exercise compared to a high-glycemic index sports drink 5.
- However, tart cherry consumption has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage 2, 3.
Effects of Tart Cherry on Gut Microbiome and Inflammation
- A 30-day supplementation study found that Montmorency tart cherry had no effect on gut microbiome composition, inflammation, or glycemic control in healthy adults 6.
- However, another study found that tart cherry ingestion can transiently decrease uric acid, a marker of inflammation, although this effect was not maintained with continued supplementation 4.