Tart Cherry

Overview

Tart cherry (and tart cherry juice) provides natural melatonin and polyphenols that support sleep duration and quality, relevant for ADHD sleep dysregulation. Tart cherry juice is naturally rich in melatonin and shown to improve sleep duration.

Recipes

no recipes found

Substances

1 substance in this food

Vitamin C (Ascorbate)

Antioxidant; supports iron absorption; neuronal SVCT2 transport

Preparation Notes

• Tart cherry juice can be consumed in evening
• Whole fruit provides fiber benefits
• Part of sleep-supportive evening nutrition strategy
• Natural alternative to melatonin supplements

Biological Target Matrix

Biological Target	Substance	Contribution Level	Therapeutic Areas	Mechanism of Action
Inflammation & Oxidative Stress	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Antioxidant properties; supports anti-inflammatory effects
Metabolic & Neuroendocrine Stress (HPA Axis & ANS)	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base	Supports stress response through antioxidant and neurochemical effects
Neurotransmitter Regulation	Vitamin C (Ascorbate)	Contextual / minor contributor	ADHD, Anxiety & GAD, Depression & MDD, Postnatal Depression (PND / PPD) — Evidence Base, Alzheimer's Disease, Bipolar Disorder	Supports norepinephrine synthesis; transported in brain via SVCT2

References

• Tart cherry juice: Naturally rich in melatonin and shown to improve sleep duration Losso et al. 2018
• Herbal teas (e.g. chamomile for apigenin, lemon balm, tart cherry juice)
• Evening(Wind-down, sleep prep): Tryptophan + complex carbs (pumpkin seeds + oats), Magnesium, taurine, L-theanine, Herbal teas (e.g. chamomile for apigenin, lemon balm, tart cherry juice)