Can Tart Cherry Juice Help Reduce Gut Inflammation?

Tart cherry juice, the star of the viral “Sleepy Girl Mocktail,” has been linked to better sleep, cognitive health, and muscle recovery.

Drinking this beverage may also help reduce gut inflammation, a new study shows. People with ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), reported improved symptoms after drinking 60 milliliters of tart cherry juice daily for six weeks.

What Researchers Found

The new study, published in the journal Life, suggests that people with ulcerative colitis may benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherry juice.

Participants said their bowel symptoms, emotional health, and social function improved after drinking tart cherry juice for six weeks. Fecal calprotectin levels, a marker of intestinal inflammation, were also lower in the tart cherry group than in those in the placebo group.

“This shows that natural anti-inflammatory supplements can be effective agents alongside traditional disease management modalities,” Jonathan Sinclair, DSc, PhD, first author and reader in Sport Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Central Lancashire’s School of Health, Social Work and Sport, told Verywell in an email.

Why Tart Cherry Juice Might Improve Gut Health

Cherries are rich in anthocyanins, a kind of polyphenol. Anthocyanins give cherries their dark red color. Many other fruits and vegetables, like grapes, plums, and cabbage, also contain this pigment.

Bacteria in the gut break down anthocyanins and other polyphenols, or plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. But more research is needed to understand the full effect of anthocyanins on gut health.

Until larger studies are conducted, it is “inconclusive” to say that drinking the tart cherry juice will help with gut health, said Dolores Woods, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian with UTHealth Houston.

Limitations of the Study

The findings came from one small study with 35 participants that was partially funded by the Cherry Marketing Institute.

“Tart cherries themselves are a healthy food. With the juice, I think that a lot of times there is that placebo effect. If you feel like something’s going to help you, it does,” Woods said.

A 2021 study, also funded by the same group, did not find any gut health benefits for healthy participants who drank tart cherry juice.

Potential Side Effects of Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice has high sugar content, and a high-sugar diet could cause abdominal discomfort in people with ulcerative colitis, Woods said.

Individuals taking certain anti-inflammatory drugs or blood thinners should speak with a healthcare provider before adding tart cherry juice to their diet, since this may interact with their medications, she added.

Woods suggests eating purple or red whole fruits to get anthocyanins if you’re looking for the same benefits. Unlike juices, whole fruits contain fiber that’s important for digestion.