Monties dried tart cherries are a delicious and tangy addition in cookies, salads, smoothies, yogurts, cereals, trail mixes, sauces and just about anything else. But more than that, the nutrients in tart cherries may be linked to everyday health benefits.
Research studies have shown that tart cherries are particularly high in anthocyanins, an antioxidant which gives Monties their distinctive red color and may be the key to tart cherries' potential health benefits — ranging from better sleep, relief from muscle and joint pain, and heart health.
Learn about the benefits of tart for:
Tart for…
A Good Night’s Sleep
Monties are one of the few natural sources of melatonin, which may help regulate your sleep cycle so your body can rest better.
Studies have shown how tart cherry juice improves sleep time and quality, including studies published by the American Journal of Therapeutics and the European Journal of Nutrition. Both studies demonstrated how study participants experienced better sleep patterns and more of it, leading to the conclusion that naturally occurring melatonin coupled with anthocyanins in Montmorency cherries may have a positive impact on sleep.
A Healthy Heart
Antioxidants in our diet — especially those found in anthocyanin-rich, dark-color fruits and vegetables — may contribute to a wide variety of health benefits, including our cardiovascular health.
Studies testing for the impact of Montmorency cherries on vascular issues have seen various benefits. According to one study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming nutrients found in tart cherries may have had an impact on hypertension in men. In another study by the University of Michigan Cardioprotection Research Laboratory, nutrients found in tart cherries may have had an impact on the risk of stroke.
Your Sore Muscles
The dense concentration of anthocyanins found in Monties, which gives the cherries their intense red color, have natural inhibitors to inflammatory and pain enzymes. Anti-inflammatory enzymes can help restore and repair muscle tissue.
For those with active lifestyles, anthocyanins have been shown to aid in muscle recovery. Studies done by both the British Journal of Sports Medicine and Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise found that consuming the nutrients found in tart cherry juice may have decreased participants' symptoms after intense exercise.