The Magic of Montmorency Cherries

One of the key ingredients in our Smart Food formulation is Montmorency Cherry (or Tart Cherry) Extract. These sour cherries originate in Montmorency, France and are grown in Europe, Canada and the United States.

Tart Cherries have higher concentrations of health enhancing bioactives such as nitrates, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powered polyphenols (e.g. flavonols, flavanols & anthocyanins) when compared to sweet cherries. Through these bioactives, tart cherries can impact our overall health, most likely due to a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. [4]

For example, research studies have demonstrated an effect of Tart Cherries on blood pressure. Tart Cherry supplementation has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure which is important in the management and prevention of hypertension. [2] These results can be attributed to the healthy dietary nitrates provided by Tart Cherries which facilitate blood flow and thus reduce pressure in our blood vessels. 

Another recent study has outlined the effects Montmorency Cherries could have on cognitive function. Following three months of supplementation of Tart Cherries versus a placebo, it was found that higher alertness and lower mental fatigue ratings were associated with the consumption of 30ml of Tart Cherry concentrate twice per day. [3]

For those of a sporting persuasion, there is a growing body of evidence that Tart Cherry can aid recovery and result in improved performance. In a recent review of 12 studies, Montmorency Cherries were shown to improve indices of soreness, muscle damage, inflammation and neuromuscular performance in activities such as marathon running, long distance running on rough terrain, cycling and resistance exercise. 11 of these 12 studies found a positive effect related to Montmorency cherries following several days of supplementation. [1]

In these studies showing benefits, the dosage was on average 240-350ml of Tart Cherry juice or 30ml of Tart Cherry extract twice a day for a few days before exercise, during the day of exercise and into the recovery period. [1] Our formulation contains 1g of CherryPURE extract which is equivalent to 50g of fresh Tart Cherries per serving. Replacing a meal or two every day with Whole Supp will go a long way to ensuring you reap the benefits.

These findings for both our health and performance make the addition of this fruit to our Smart Food formulation a no-brainer.

References

[1] Gao, R., Chilibeck, P. (2020) "Effect of Tart Cherry Concentrate on Endurance Exercise Performance: A Meta-analysis", Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 39(7), 657-664.

[2] Keane, K., Bailey, S., Vanhatalo, A., Jones, A., Howatson, G. (2018) "Effects of montmorency tart cherry (L. Prunus Cerasus) consumption on nitric oxide biomarkers and exercise performance", Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 28(7), 174

[3] Kimble, R., Keane, K., Lodge, J., Cheung, W., Haskell-Ramsay, C., Howatson, G. (2022) "Polyphenol-rich tart cherries (Prunus Cerasus, cv Montmorency) improve sustained attention, feelings of alertness and mental fatigue and influence the plasma metabolome

[4] Quinlan, R., Hill, J. (2020) "The Efficacy of Tart Cherry Juice in Aiding Recovery After Intermittent Exercise", International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15(3), 368-374.

[5] Vitale, K., Hueglin, S., Broad, E. (2017) "Tart Cherry Juice in Athletes", Current Sports Medicine Reports, 16(4), 230-239.