Sevens Reasons to Drink Cherry Juice Every Day

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It’s cherry harvest time. Starting the second week of July and until the end of the month, the annual tart cherry season is here. This means those looking for a natural way to fight joint pain, get a better night’s sleep and enjoy a tasty drink rich in antioxidants need to look no further. Enjoying a glass of cherry juice every morning is a great way to start your day while at the same time offering an entire range of amazing health benefits.

I first learned about cherry juice several years ago while I was vacationing in Northern Michigan. I stopped to purchase some fresh cherries from a local farm stand and started talking with the farmer’s wife. She told me how cherries are packed with melatonin, antioxidants and anthocyanins.

So I did my research and now have I have put what I have found into a short list of the 7 reasons to add cherry juice to your daily routine.

1. Helps You Sleep

Cherries are one of natural top sources of naturally occurring melatonin. This powerful antioxidant will help you get a more restful night’s sleep so you’ll be able to enjoy the day.

2. Fights Free Radicals

Researchers suggest individuals enjoy 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units daily. ORAC is defined as Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Basically, this measures the antioxidant power of food. 100 grams (about 3/4 cup) of the fresh fruit delivers approximately 3,700 ORAC units, while just 1 ounce (100 grams) of cherry juice concentrate delivers approximately 15,000 ORAC units. ORAC helps the body to fight disease causing free radicals.

3. Reduces Joint Pain

Tart cherries contain powerful anthocyanins to help fight joint pain. These compounds are natural Cox-1 and Cox-2 inhibitors that provide 10 times the pain relieving properties when compared to OTC (over the counter) pain relievers like aspirin.

Download a Free Copy of the Fruitceutical Handbook – Discover the Health Benefits of Tart Cherries and Other Fruits

4. Regulates Blood Sugar

Tart cherry juice offers metabolic benefits and helps to regulate blood sugar levels. The juice helps to improve blood sugar levels and insulin levels. The type of anthocyanins present in the cherry help to maintain proper metabolism while lowering cholesterol levels. Thus, lowing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Finally, cherries rank at 22 on the glycemic index. This is the low end of the chart and will not spike the blood sugar when consumed when compared to high glycemic foods like a donut, for example.

5. Anti-Aging Benefits

Adding a glass of this tangy red drink to your diet daily may help to reduce the aging process. The cherry contains a cornucopia of 17 different antioxidants. The synergistic combination of the antioxidants help to strengthen connective tissue and prevent wrinkles by destroying free radicals that can increase the aging of skin.

6. Hydrates Your Body

During the summer months it’s vital to stay hydrated and drinking a glass of cherry juice can help. In addition to the natural health benefits of the tart cherries, since your mixed water with the juice it helps to keep your body hydrated.

7. Helps Keep Hair and Skin Healthy

Cherries are a good source of anthocyanins and beta-carotene. Both of these are vital to healthy skin and hair. Drinking a glass of the juice daily helps to contribute to a healthy head of hair.

How to Make Tart Cherry Juice

Making cherry juice is a breeze. You have basically two options. You can get some fresh cherries, de-pit them and squeeze out the juice. Or you can simply grab some cherry juice concentrate and mix with water.

If you’re making your own cherry juice from fresh cherries, here are the steps:

#1: Purchase organic and pesticide-free fresh cherries. Make sure to only select the firm fruit that is deep in color. The deep color gives your quick visual on the nutritional value of the fruit. The deeper the color better.

#2: Thoroughly waste the fresh to remove any substances on the skin of the fruit.

#3: Remove the stems and pits. You can either use a cherry pitter or chop sticks to remove the pits.

#4: Place the cherries in the blender. You’ll want to fill the blender until it is about three-quarters of the way full. Add a little water and blend until the cherries liquefy.

#5: Pour the liquid cherries into a fine-mesh strainer. This will provide you with a refreshing glass of cherry juice. The pulp that remains in the strainer can be used to add to yogurt and other recipes including a morning smoothie.

The disadvantage of using fresh cherries to make your morning glass of cherry juice is they are only available for a few short weeks during the summer harvest season. So for the remainder of the year, you’ll want to switch over to enjoy cherry juice made from cherry juice concentrate.

Check out how easy it is make cherry juice from concentrate.

#1: Purchase cherry juice that is packed in glass bottles and offers a sediment-free guarantee. This helps to improve taste and quality of the juice.

#2: Mix 1 oz. of tart cherry juice concentrate with 7 oz. of water to make an 8 oz. glass of 100% pure tart cherry juice. Stir together, add a few ice cubes and enjoy.

Download a Free Copy of the Fruitceutical Handbook – Discover the Health Benefits of Tart Cherries and Other Fruits

Helen Thomas
Helen Thomas is an independent writer and writes about the natural health benefits of food, alternative medicine and natural home remedies. She in the process of developing her website sharing the wonders of Mother Nature. Some of her favorite sites include www.TraverseBayFarms.com and www.OrchardofHealth.com