Tart cherry juice is rich in various nutrients. An 8-ounce (240-ml) serving contains 119 calories and the following:

• Carbs: 28 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Fat: 1 gram
• Vitamin A: 62% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 40% of the RDI
• Manganese: 14% of the RDI
• Potassium: 12% of the RDI
• Copper: 12% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 7% of the RDI

Tart cherry juice also has trace levels of B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, omega-3, and omega-6 fats, antioxidants, and other plant chemicals. Tart cherries contain 20 times more vitamin A and up to five times more antioxidants than sweet cherry cultivars. The redness of bitter cherries distinguishes them from sweet cherries. Sweet cherries have a deeper tint, but tart cherries keep their bright red color after harvesting. Keep in mind that certain tart cherry juices include significant levels of added sugars, so choose an unsweetened kind.

Individuals who are physically active may be particularly interested in sour cherry juice's influence on muscle strength and soreness. The majority of studies have found that it is useful. Long distance runners in one research consumed either 24 ounces (710 ml) of sour cherry juice or a placebo in the seven days preceding up to and on the day of a race. When compared to the placebo group, runners given cherry juice experienced three times less discomfort during and after the race. In another study, runners who had 16 ounces (480 mL) of cherry juice before and after a marathon observed decreased muscle damage, stiffness, and inflammation.

They also recovered more quickly. Similar outcomes were obtained after taking 480 mg of tart cherry powder daily. Tart cherry juice and supplements may also help with muscle strength. In the days preceding and immediately following an intense resistance training session, one group of men was given tart cherry supplements or a placebo. When compared to those given a placebo, the tart cherry group lost up to 4% less muscle strength as a result of the workout. Tart cherry pills may also help resistance-trained people recover faster by reducing muscle breakdown and pain. Although the majority of research found advantages, it is crucial to emphasize that a minority did not.

Tart cherry juice may be a safe and effective way to treat insomnia and gain more sleep each night. This is because tart cherries are naturally high in melatonin, a hormone that causes tiredness. Furthermore, sour cherries are high in tryptophan and anthocyanins, two substances that may help the body produce melatonin and prolong its effects. According to research, supplementing with tart cherry juice raises melatonin levels and improves sleep quality and duration.

In one trial, insomniacs drank either 16 ounces (480 ml) of sour cherry juice or the same quantity of a placebo drink every day for two weeks. Cherry juice enhanced sleep time by 85 minutes on average. Interestingly, sour cherry juice appears to be as powerful as, if not more effective than, valerian and melatonin – the two most studied natural treatments for insomnia.

Tart cherry juice is frequently touted for its ability to alleviate arthritis symptoms such as joint pain and inflammation. In one trial, tart cherry juice decreased key inflammatory blood indicators in women with osteoarthritis, the most common kind of arthritis. Another study found that patients who drank two 8-ounce (240-ml) bottles of tart cherry juice daily had marginally less pain and stiffness after six weeks. The changes detected between those given cherry juice and those given a placebo, on the other hand, were quite minor. Tart cherry juice has also been studied for its effect on gout, a kind of arthritis characterized by frequent attacks of swelling and extreme pain.

Drinking tart cherry juice appears to lower blood levels of uric acid, a substance that, in excessive concentrations, can cause gout. Furthermore, multiple studies show that people with gout who consume fresh cherries or cherry juice concentrate on a daily basis are up to 50% less likely to have an attack. However, the total number of studies on this topic is few, and the majority are observational in nature. As a result, determining whether the cherry juice is the source of the lowered symptoms or if those with fewer gout symptoms are more likely to try alternative treatments like cherry juice is difficult.

Oxidative stress is hypothesized to play a role in the development of degenerative brain illnesses such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Tart cherries and their juice are high in antioxidants and other beneficial plant chemicals, which may protect brain cells. Consuming 16 ounces (480 mL) of tart cherry juice daily increased antioxidant defenses in healthy older men and women, according to one study.

For 12 weeks, older persons with mild-to-moderate dementia were given either 6.5 ounces (200 ml) of tart cherry juice or a placebo. Adults in the cherry juice group improved their verbal fluency, as well as their short- and long-term memory, whereas those in the placebo group did not.