Respect the Ritual – Tart Cherry Juice

Sep 23, 2022 by Chef David

By Chef David

Athletes drink tart cherry juice as part of their training regimens finding that it aids in muscle recovery, and improves performance. The San Jose Sharks (NHL) encourage their players to drink chamomile, lavender, and tart cherry juice nightly to get better sleep. It’s time to go beyond the image their name conjures up. Tart cherries, also called Montmorency cherries, are grown primarily in Michigan. This stone fruit presents a deep red color and sweet-tart flavor. You may be more familiar with sweet cherries which are larger with higher sugar content and are typically eaten fresh. While tart cherries may be smaller, they provide huge wellness benefits when juiced. Cheribundi produces tart cherry juice certified kosher (dairy) by the OU and in a concentrated form certified kosher (pareve) by the OK.

The Power of Montmorency cherries

Montmorency tart cherries are prized for their concentration of anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol, which helps fight cellular damage, reduce inflammation, and promote overall health. These bright red fruits also contain carotenoid pigments like beta-carotene and vitamin C, which also have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, the melatonin in cherries helps balance the sleep-wake cycle making you better rested.

Studies quantify the benefits of tart cherries as reducing inflammation by 49%, increasing sleep by up to 90 minutes, and aiding in the recovery of muscle function. Cherries are a good source of potassium, an essential electrolyte used for activating cells, muscles, and nerves.  Tart cherry juice can help with gout, and stiffness associated with arthritis.

Discover Cheribundi

Founded in 2004, Cheribundi has become part of the training regimen of over 350 professional athletic teams. Using a proprietary juicing process created by scientists at Cornell University, they extract the maximum benefit from every tart cherry. The health benefits of cherries come from eating large quantities which is why drinking juice is recommended as part of your daily routine.  They recommend drinking one 8-ounce bottle, the equivalent of eating 60 cherries, after any type of physical activity.

Cherry juice is the secret weapon. By enhancing the natural properties of tart cherries, Cheribundi created several variations.  The concentrate and bottled cherry juices use different formulations, they contain similar health properties.

Pure tart cherry juice contains just tart cherry juice without no additives or sugar. One 8-ounce container has 100 calories, with 25 grams of sugar (no added sugar) and 1 gram of protein. For those who prefer a sweeter variation, try the original, which uses apple juice, or light which uses stevia leaf for additional sweetness.

Two enhanced versions, Immunity and Sleep, begin with cherry juice.  Sleep promotes relaxation. Cheribundi recommends drinking it 90 minutes before bed to get the maximum benefit. To enhance the natural properties of cherries, they added valerian root extract, L-Theanine, with stevia leaf added as a natural sweetener.  Valerian root is an herb native to Europe and Asia, which helps regulate your sleep and mood. L-Theanine is an amino acid in green tea that improves mental function.

Immunity is recommended to be taken 20 minutes after waking up. Cheribundi has added echinacea, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B2, thiamine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin b12, and maltodextrin. One 8-ounce bottle delivers 100% of the daily value of these nutrients including vitamin C (which is not explicitly listed). Echinacea is used by Great Plains Native Americans as a traditional medicine for respiratory infections by stimulating a response in the immune system.

A Lesson from the Pros

Cheribundi believes that everyone is a work-in-progress. They recommend making good choices in our daily nutrition, which is why they suggest adding ‘the ritual’ of drinking tart cherry juice. Cherry juice is packed with nutrition with an undeniably refreshingly pleasant taste. We see no need for additional sweeteners, au natural provides the perfect taste profile.

Cheribundi can be purchased online – Discover the power of red by adding tart cherry juice to your routine.