You can get a better night of sleep by taking a swig of cherry juice, than from that nightcap of fermented grapes.

It turns out that Montmorency cherry juice contains high levels of melatonin, a natural hormone responsible for regulating our internal body clock. People with sleep issues commonly take this hormone in pill form, but experts say that the tart cherry juice works just as well.

Drink cherry juice before bed for a better sleep, study showsOne study examined the effects the special cherry juice had on insomniacs. Eight participants were told to drink two glasses of Montmorency cherry juice per day — one in the morning and one right before bed. Compared to the placebo, the cherry juice group ended up averaging an extra 1 hour and 24 minutes of quality sleep time per night.

So what is so special about Montmorency cherries?

For starters, these little red wonders contain 40 percent of your daily recommended vitamin A (cell regeneration and vision). They’re also high in vitamin C (immunity) and antioxidants. According to the peer-reviewed study led by researchers at Louisiana State University, the juice was found to stop the build-up of chemicals tied to poor sleep. Though consumption of the cherries has positive effects regardless of method, people were said to reap the most health benefits when the Montmorency cherries were juiced and delivered in their most concentrated form.

The study was published in the American Journal of Therapeutics.

Montmorency tart cherries are the most common variety of tart cherries grown in the United States. They’re available year-round in dried, frozen, canned, juiced and concentrated forms.

So swap that evening glass of vino with some tart cherry juice and get ready for some extra sweet dreams.

(h/t Tip Hero)


And when it’s time to wake up, try this cayenne pepper beet juice for an eye-opening breakfast blend. 

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Meghan is a full-time writer exploring the fun facts behind food. She lives a healthy lifestyle but lives for breakfast, dessert and anything with marinara. She’s thrown away just as many meals as she’s proud of.