Advertisement
Tart Cherry Juice May Reduce Gut Inflammation In People With Ulcerative Colitis
Antioxidants are most known for being anti-inflammatory. What's fascinating (at least to me as a dietitian) is that different antioxidants have different effects in the body.
That's why it's so important to include a diverse range of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Produce that has a ruby red, purple, or deep blue color is especially rich in anthocyanins.
Researchers have speculated that these anthocyanins may be particularly beneficial in calming gut inflammation. So, researchers recently investigated the effects of an anthocyanin-rich drink—tart cherry juice—on measures of inflammation and quality of life in people with ulcerative colitis1. Here's what you need to know.
Why might tart cherries help gut inflammation?
To date, this is the first randomized controlled trial that has specifically looked at Montmorency tart cherry consumption outcomes related to ulcerative colitis and compared it to a placebo.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes ongoing inflammation in the lining of the gut. When this inflammation is active (often called a flare), it can lead to diarrhea, cramping, and bleeding in the gut. These flares can impact people's quality of life, relationships, and mental health (stress and anxiety levels).
The goal is to keep this inflammation in remission2, which often involves medication. While medication can be highly effective, it does come with an increased risk of other concerns, and doctors have long been interested in more natural treatments that can work alongside a treatment plan to improve the well-being of those trying to manage the disease.
Research on anthocyanins and tart cherries for gut inflammation and ulcerative colitis is emerging, but studies show that these antioxidants are beneficial for heart health and other inflammatory disorders. Studies show that tart cherries help resolve exercise-related inflammation.
From this, researchers were ready to test the hypothesis of whether anthocyanin-rich tart cherry juice would directly benefit ulcerative colitis.
How the study was set up
They did that by dividing 35 people into two groups: the tart cherry group versus the placebo. All participants had mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (symptoms were regularly present) and were currently on medication to manage it.
Those in the tart cherry group mixed about 2 tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate with half a cup of water twice a day (in the morning and at night) for six weeks.
At the start and end of the study, researchers collected information on participants' quality of life (accounting for everything from bowel movements, abdominal pain, fatigue, anxiety, and social impact).
Quality of life and inflammation improved
After six weeks, people who drank the tart cherry juice had significantly better improvements in quality of life and UC symptoms than those who had the placebo.
While blood test results didn't reveal significant changes in inflammation, a stool marker of gut inflammation dropped by nearly 40%.
What's impressive is that everyone drinking the tart cherry juice stuck with it for the entirety of the study.
Overall, the researchers concluded that having tart cherry juice is a helpful, natural treatment alongside standard therapies for people with ulcerative colitis.
Taking tart cherry for inflammation
Whether you're managing a specific type of gut inflammation, want to recover quicker from exercise-induced inflammation, or want to support whole-body anti-inflammatory effects, tart cherries are a great choice to include in your daily routine.
If you're using tart cherry juice, 8–16 ounces a day3 is beneficial (or about 2–4 tablespoons). The thing is, this juice does also contain a decent amount of sugar.
If you want to reap the benefits of tart cherries without the added sugar, then a supplement is a smart choice. Many supplements (including this one) are made from 100% Montmorency tart cherry juice and provide a clinically studied dose.
The takeaway
Tart cherries are bursting with antioxidants that can help calm inflammation—even for people living with ulcerative colitis. Tart cherries are not likely to be found in produce sections or farmers markets. Instead, a juice or a supplement is the way to go to get more of these anthocyanins.
