Cherries can be more than delicious fruits; they can also help contribute to our good health and overall wellbeing. This is especially true of the montmorency cherry. Over the course of this guide, we’re going to explore what these cherries are, what is montmorency cherry juice, as well as various montmorency cherry health benefits.
What are Montmorency Cherries?
Cherries are typically divided into two varieties: sweet ones and sour ones. Montmorency cherries are unique in that they’re not like most other sour cherries which tend to be of a darker red colour. Instead, these are a bright red, almost reminiscent of maraschino cherries, minus the sweetness, of course.
The reason why these cherries are so bright is because they’re a part of the Amarelle cultivar, which tends to be much brighter than other sour cherries. The darker sour cherries that you may know better are part of the Morello cultivar, though there is little correlation between their coloration and their flavour.
These cherries were named after the Montmorency region of France, which is near Paris. Compared to other cherries, Montmorency cherries tend to be a little bit larger and far lighter. While darker sour cherries are more popular in Europe, Montmorency cherries are the most popular sour cherry variety in Canada and the United States.
This kind of cherry is extremely popular in preserves and jams because of the tartness that it adds to their flavour, but it is also commonly used in cherry pies. Montmorency cherries are also available dried, and they can also be juiced. Juiced Montmorency cherries tend to be more popular because of the wide range of Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate benefits.
One interesting thing about Montmorency cherries is that they don’t always tend to be light, and their coloration can vary based on the tree that they are picked from. Some trees tend to produce darker fruit while others produce lighter cherries so they can be easy to mistake for other cultivars.
Montmorency Cherry Benefits
Reduced Muscle Soreness and Increased Strength
More and more athletes have started using Montmorency cherries to aid them through their recovery periods. There have been several studies into the phenomenon, with one particular study showing that long distance runners who were given Montmorency cherry juice tended to experience less pain both during and after racing.
Along with making it easier to recover from sporting events, some studies have demonstrated that Montmorency cherries can help improve muscular strength. One study showed that Montmorency cherries can help reduce your loss of muscle strength after training, with those who took a placebo losing 4% more strength on average.
Montmorency Cherry Juice Sleep Benefits
Other evidence points to tart cherries like Montmorency cherries being able to help people sleep, whether they are simply struggling to get to bed or suffering from a more serious condition like insomnia. This is largely due to the large Montmorency cherry melatonin concentration. Melatonin is a hormone responsible for helping us sleep.
To further improve the level of sleepiness that you’ll get after drinking concentrated Montmorency cherry juice, they’re also rich in anthocyanins and tryptophan, both of which are responsible for helping the body create melatonin and enhancing its effects. All of the details can be found in this study.
Improved Cognitive Abilities
Yet another one of Montmorency cherry capsules’ benefits is that they can help improve your cognition and other mental abilities. This is due to their ability to help improve your brain health, which is often degraded by oxidative stress. Montmorency cherries are powerful antioxidants, making them a perfect counter to degenerative diseases and loss of cognition.
Studies have shown that Montmorency cherry capsules and the juice derived from them can protect your brain cells due to their antioxidant effects. Another study showed that consuming half a litre of Montmorency cherry juice per day allowed older women and men to improve their antioxidant defences.
How Can You Consume Montmorency Cherry?
Eating the Cherries
The simplest way to enjoy the benefits of Montmorency cherries is simply by eating them. Whether you pick up artisan Montmorency cherries or simply get your hands on a tub of Kirkland Montmorency cherries, you’ll be able to enjoy a sour but tasty snack that’s also healthy.
Drinking Cherry Juice
Montmorency cherry juice, especially when concentrated, is a popular way to enjoy the health benefits of these fruits. This is because it’s a lot more convenient to drink a glass of concentrated juice instead of having to eat a bunch of cherries over the course of the day to enjoy the health benefits that they offer.
Montmorency Cherry Capsules
An even more convenient option, especially if you don’t like the sour taste of Montmorency cherries, is simply to use supplement capsules that contain concentrated juice or the powdered version of these fruits.