Dried Cherries
Also known as: Tart cherries, Montmorency cherries, Dried cherries, Prunus cerasus
Overview
Dried cherries are the dehydrated form of tart cherries, primarily sourced from the *Prunus cerasus* species, with Montmorency being a common cultivar. They are classified as a functional food and dietary supplement due to their rich content of bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins and other polyphenols. These compounds are believed to mediate the fruit's health benefits, primarily through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Supplementation with dried or tart cherries is predominantly utilized for enhancing exercise recovery, mitigating inflammation, and supporting cardiovascular health. While research is ongoing for other potential benefits like cognitive or mood improvements, the most robust evidence currently supports their role in exercise-related applications. The research maturity for tart cherries is moderate, with multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses supporting their efficacy in specific areas.
Benefits
Dried cherry supplementation offers several evidence-based benefits, primarily due to its rich anthocyanin content: * **Exercise Recovery:** Strong evidence from meta-analyses indicates that tart cherry supplementation significantly reduces muscle soreness (small effect size ES = -0.44), improves the recovery of muscular strength (moderate ES = -0.78), and enhances muscular power (moderate ES = -0.53). This includes notable improvements in jump height and sprint time recovery, making it particularly beneficial for athletes and individuals engaged in strenuous physical activity. * **Inflammation Reduction:** High-quality evidence supports tart cherry's ability to reduce markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (small effect ES = -0.46) and interleukin-6 (small effect ES = -0.35). This anti-inflammatory effect contributes to overall recovery and may benefit individuals with inflammatory conditions. * **Endurance Exercise Performance:** A meta-analysis suggests some improvement in endurance performance, such as reduced half-marathon finish times and improved cycling time trials. However, this benefit is supported by a smaller body of evidence and results can vary, often limited by smaller sample sizes in individual studies. * **Cardiovascular Health:** Emerging evidence points towards a dose-dependent reduction in blood pressure and improved heart rate regulation. While promising, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to solidify these findings. * **Limited/Insufficient Evidence:** Current research does not strongly support significant effects on gut microbiome composition, glycemic control, cognition, or mood improvements.
How it works
Dried cherries exert their beneficial effects primarily through their high concentration of anthocyanins and other polyphenols. These compounds act as potent antioxidants, scavenging free radicals and reducing oxidative stress within the body. Their anti-inflammatory properties stem from their ability to modulate inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), thereby reducing systemic inflammation. In the muscular system, this action helps mitigate exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation, facilitating faster recovery. For cardiovascular health, the compounds may modulate vascular function and endothelial health. Anthocyanins are rapidly absorbed, peaking in the bloodstream approximately two hours post-consumption and clearing within eight hours, which is crucial for timing acute effects.
Side effects
Dried cherry supplementation is generally considered safe, with no serious adverse effects consistently reported in clinical trials at typical supplement doses. Common side effects are rare and not consistently documented. While no well-documented drug interactions exist, theoretical caution is advised for individuals on anticoagulant medications due to the potential, albeit unproven, effects of polyphenols on platelet function. There are no established contraindications, but individuals with known allergies to cherries or other related fruits should avoid consumption. For special populations, such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, data is limited; therefore, consultation with a healthcare provider is recommended before use. Overall, the safety profile is favorable, but long-term safety data beyond several weeks of typical dosing is still limited.
Dosage
The recommended dosage for dried cherries and tart cherry products varies depending on the form and desired effect. Studies often use tart cherry juice concentrate, with typical doses ranging from 30-60 mL per day, or an equivalent amount of dried cherries providing approximately 300-600 mg of anthocyanins. For acute benefits, such as improving exercise performance, timing is crucial; intake about 1-2 hours before exercise is suggested to align with peak anthocyanin blood levels. For chronic benefits like muscle recovery and inflammation reduction, daily supplementation over several days to weeks is recommended. The maximum safe dose is not well-defined, but doses up to 60 mL of juice concentrate daily have been used in studies without reported adverse effects. Dried cherries, juice concentrate, and freeze-dried powders are common forms, with bioavailability potentially varying. While no specific cofactors are required, overall diet quality may influence the efficacy of supplementation.
FAQs
Are dried cherries as effective as juice?
Dried cherries retain beneficial polyphenols, but their concentration can vary. Juice concentrates are more commonly studied and standardized, often providing a more consistent dose of active compounds.
Is tart cherry supplementation safe long-term?
Current evidence suggests safety for typical doses over several weeks. However, long-term safety data beyond this period is limited, so prolonged use should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
When is the best time to take dried cherries for exercise benefits?
For optimal performance benefits, it's suggested to consume dried cherries or tart cherry products about 1-2 hours before exercise to ensure peak anthocyanin levels in the bloodstream.
How quickly can I expect to see benefits from dried cherry supplementation?
Some benefits, particularly related to exercise recovery, can be observed within days post-exercise. Performance-enhancing effects may require acute dosing immediately before activity.
Does dried cherry supplementation help with sleep or mood?
While some anecdotal claims exist, current scientific evidence is insufficient to confirm significant benefits of cherry supplementation on sleep quality or mood improvements.
Research Sources
- https://www.sportsrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Effect_of_Tart_Cherry_Concentrate_on_Endurance_Exercise_Performance_A_Meta_analysis.pdf – This meta-analysis investigated the effect of tart cherry concentrate on endurance exercise performance. It found that tart cherry concentrate improved endurance metrics, emphasizing the importance of timing for acute benefits, though individual study sample sizes were small.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33440334/ – This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized findings from 14 RCTs on tart cherry supplementation. It concluded that tart cherry has small to moderate beneficial effects on muscle soreness, strength, power recovery, and inflammatory markers, despite some variability in study protocols.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01138-x – This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the impact of cherry supplementation on cognition and mood. It found no strong evidence to support improvements in these areas, highlighting the need for more targeted research with consistent outcome measures.
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.733057/full – This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of tart cherry on the gut microbiome and glycemic control in healthy adults over 30 days. The study reported no significant changes in either outcome, providing important negative findings for the scope of tart cherry's effects.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10559679/ – This research, which includes an RCT and review, suggests dose-dependent blood pressure reduction and anti-inflammatory effects from tart cherry. It indicates promising preliminary evidence for cardiovascular benefits, emphasizing the need for further high-quality RCTs to confirm these findings.
