Rest and Recover

Support your post-workout soreness with a glass of organic tart cherry juice! Tart cherry varieties tend to have higher levels of antioxidants than the sweet ones. The high antioxidant content of the tart varieties of cherries reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle soreness.^{2 3} Pucker up and let your muscles melt with a tall glass of organic tart cherry juice—the sweet benefits are worth the funny face of the sour taste!

Sweet Dreams Are Made of Sour Cherries

On those nights when you toss and turn, a glass of organic tart cherry juice might just do the trick. The relaxing benefits of cherries for sleep support are well-studied. Cherries contain melatonin, a hormone critical to regulating sleep-wake cycles. One study showed that even after just seven days, participants who drank two servings of tart cherry juice had higher melatonin levels and increased sleep time and quality.⁴ Another study found that tart cherry juice can support those with insomnia.⁵ If you’re up at night, try a glass of organic tart cherry juice to help you unwind and drift into sweet dreams.

Tart Truths of Conventional Cherry Farming

Cherries have been a mainstay on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list since 2016 and the 2023 report noted more than 90 percent of cherry samples tested contained residues of two or more pesticides.⁶ One of the most common insecticides used in conventional cherry farming is bifenthrin, a known hormone disruptor and neurotoxin that is also toxic to bees and fish.^{7 8} Bees and other pollinators float from tree to tree, pollinating cherry blossoms that will soon turn into sweet or tart fruits. Birds swoop between the trees finding fallen fruits to snack on. But synthetic sprays used in conventional farming disrupt whole ecosystems, even beyond orchard boundaries. Through rain and runoff, any chemicals sprayed will seep into the earth and into waterways, causing harm to aquatic life.⁹ So let yourself relax and unwind with a bowl of organic cherries, knowing that choosing organic supports pollinators, healthy waterways, and you!

Try Our Chicken and Cherry Salad with Horseradish Dressing

This fresh and light chicken salad features a creamy horseradish dressing, sweet-tart cherries, and crunchy pecans, perfect for a quick meal on a warm summer evening!

GET THE RECIPE

References

1. Filipović, D., Akšić, M. F., Zagorac, D. D., & Natić, M. (2020). Gathered fruits as grave goods?  Cornelian cherry remains from a Mesolithic grave at the site of Vlasac, Danube Gorges, south-east Europe. Quaternary International, 541, 130-140.
2. Blando, F., & Oomah, B. D. (2019). Sweet and sour cherries: Origin, distribution, nutritional composition and health benefits. Trends in food science & technology, 86, 517-529.
3. K Levers, R Dalton, E Galvan, C Goodenough, A O’Connor, S Simbo, N Barringer, J Carter, C Seesselberg, YP Jung, A Coletta, S Mertens-Talcott, C Rasmussen, M Greenwood & R Kreider (2014) Powdered tart cherry supplementation demonstrates benefit on markers of  catabolism and muscle soreness following an acute bout of intense lower body resistance exercise, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11:sup1, DOI: 10.1186/1550-2783-11-S1-P31
4. Howatson, G., Bell, P. G., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., McHugh, M. P., & Ellis, J. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European journal of nutrition, 51(8), 909–916. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7
5. Pigeon, W. R., Carr, M., Gorman, C., & Perlis, M. L. (2010). Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of medicinal food, 13(3), 579-583.
6. EWG's 2023 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™. Environmental Working Group. (2023, March 15). Retrieved April 2023, from https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
7. Cherries. What's on my food? by Pesticide Action Network. Retrieved April 2023, from https://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=CH
8. Gateway on pesticide hazards and Safe Pest Management: Bifenthrin. Beyond Pesticides. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2023, from https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-gateway?pesticidei…
9. Morrissey, C. A., Mineau, P., Devries, J. H., Sanchez-Bayo, F., Liess, M., Cavallaro, M. C., & Liber, K. (2015). Neonicotinoid contamination of global surface waters and associated risk to aquatic invertebrates: a review. Environment international, 74, 291-303.