Sleep Better this Holiday Season with Tart Cherry Juice

During this time of year we find ourselves busier than ever – whether it’s entertaining during holiday parties, playing host to out-of-town visitors, or shopping ‘til we drop for every last gift on the list – we can become exhausted and in need of sleep to replenish our energy and maintain our overall health.

We’re in luck! Scientific studies continue to emerge that show the benefits of tart cherry juice and its effect on sleep quality as well as duration.

Most recently, researchers at Northumbria University, whose findings were published in the European Journal of Nutrition, conducted a study  where 20 participants were given two 30ml servings of the juice for seven days - once when they woke up and another before bed. The results were longer sleep time, less daytime  napping and up to a 6 per cent increase in sleep efficiency. People who drank two glasses of tart cherry juice also had increased ‘sleep  efficiency’ - the ratio of time spent in bed to time spent sleeping. They slept an average of 39 minutes longer.

Researcher Jason Ellis said, “When darkness falls, the body produces melatonin to signal it is time to sleep. The juice provides an additional service to what we already have to strengthen the internal signal of the body clock.

“It would definitely be beneficial to people with jet lag or coming off shift work -anywhere your internal clock has been fighting the external world.”

Why tart cherries? The Montmorency cherry (a type of tart cherry) naturally contains the hormone, melatonin, which is critical in regulating sleep-wake cycles. With the consumption of tart cherries, the body’s level of this powerful antioxidant increased significantly and thus affected sleep patterns in a gentle and natural way. 

Sources:

http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/10656/2011/12/16/glass_cherry_juice_increase_sleep_time.html

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/nutrition/tart-cherry-juice-for-insomnia.html

The Cheribundi Process – Never from Concentrate, Always Orchard-Fresh

100% juice

 We all know that Cheribundi is not made from concentrate and instead uses a gentle juicing process that preserves nutrients, taste and freshness. But what exactly is the difference between not from concentrate (NFC) and from concentrate? And does it really make a difference?

The answer is YES! Juice that is not from concentrate makes a huge difference in terms of our health and here’s why:

The Difference:

“From concentrate” means that the water has been evaporated out of the juice by way of heat and pressure. The extracted and concentrated juice can then be frozen and transported until ready for packaging. Before the concentrated juice is packaged, it is reconstituted /rehydrated where not only water is added, but there is a possibility for sugar, preservative or flavoring to be added – such as juices termed “ juice beverage” or “juice cocktail.”

Just like fresh-squeezed juice “not from concentrate” is pure juice without added water, sugar or preservatives.  The juice does goes through a flash pasteurization process, which kills bacteria right before packaging.  Overall, it is a far less processed product that conserves the taste and nutritional components of the actual fruit.

The Cheribundi Process:

50 cherries per bottle -
not water and sugar!

Sometimes even the nutrients in NFC juice can be compromised in the pasteurization process, but that’s not the case with Cheribundi! Our juicing process was developed by Cornell University food scientists to capture as many of the nutrients found naturally in tart cherries as possible. This is achieved by a gentle juicing process  that does not require super-high temperatures, meaning nutrients and flavor are sealed in, not boiled away. 

What Does this Mean for Our Health?

Less processing means more available antioxidants and phytonutrients!

A general rule of thumb when it comes to understanding nutrient levels in our food is that the more something is processed, the less nutrition it contains for our body to absorb and use. This is because in the food industry“processing” means changing the food from its natural state and thus depleting its nutritional value – it’s no longer pure, fresh or natural.

Science has proven that tart cherries alone contain record amounts of antioxidants (anthocyanins), 19 times more beta-carotene than blueberries, along with vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron,  folate, melatonin (the naturally occurring hormone that promotes sleep) and even dopamine (a chemical in your brain associated with pleasure, learning and motivation).

The antioxidants found in Cheribundi tart cherry juice fight free-radicals, which cause your cells to oxidize or age. By maintaining these antioxidant levels you can slow the aging process, boost your cardiovascular health, regulate healthy sleep patterns, prevent gout, soothe arthritis, and reduce muscle pain and inflammation.

Now, that’s a whole lot of nutritional value and antioxidant power that could be lost in other juicing processes!