Tart Cherry
Overview
Tart cherry (and tart cherry juice) provides natural melatonin and anthocyanin polyphenols—principally Cyanidin and Peonidin—that support sleep duration and quality, relevant for ADHD sleep dysregulation.
Within the BRAIN Diet framework, tart cherry juice is naturally rich in melatonin and shown to improve sleep duration [1].
Key Nutritional Highlights
- Tart cherry (and tart cherry juice) provides natural melatonin and polyphenols that support sleep duration and quality, relevant for ADHD sleep dysregulation. [1]
- Tart cherry juice is naturally rich in melatonin and shown to improve sleep duration.
- Tart cherry (and tart cherry juice) provides natural melatonin and polyphenols that support sleep duration and quality, relevant for ADHD sleep dysregulation.
Food Context
Synergies
- Part of sleep-supportive evening nutrition strategy
Preparation
- Tart cherry juice can be consumed in evening
- Whole fruit provides fiber benefits
- Natural alternative to melatonin supplements
Recipes
Nutrient Tables (per 100 g)
Selected food and preparation: Cherries, sour, red, raw. per 100 g edible portion.
Core nutrients
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % reference intake per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 50 kcal | — |
| Protein | 1 g | — |
| Total fat | 0.3 g | — |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g | — |
| Carbohydrates | 12.2 g | — |
| Sugars | 8.5 g | — |
| Fibre | 1.6 g | — |
Key vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals supplying at least 10% of an adult reference intake per 100 g, derived from the composition panel.
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % reference intake per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | 0.1 mg | 11.6% |
| Vitamin C | 10 mg | 11.1% |
Bioactive compounds
| Compound / class | Amount per 100 g | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cyanidin | Present — quantity not established | Cherries, sour, red, raw; NDB 09063 — glycosides / reported aglycone equivalents |
| Peonidin | Present — quantity not established | Cherries, sour, red, raw; NDB 09063 — glycosides / reported aglycone equivalents |
- Cyanidin, Peonidin: USDA flavonoid database, Release 3.3; the studied food form is shown beside each constituent. Glycoside-derived records do not establish free-aglycone amounts.
Technical provenance
Cyanidin: USDA flavonoid database Release 3.3 (2018); Printed page 29–30; Cherries, sour, red, raw; NDB 09063. Positive mean in the named food row, not an assumed association from database title. No free-aglycone mass inferred.
Peonidin: USDA flavonoid database Release 3.3 (2018); Printed page 29–30; Cherries, sour, red, raw; NDB 09063. Positive mean in the named food row, not an assumed association from database title. No free-aglycone mass inferred.
Substances
3 substances in this food
Peonidin
USDA’s flavonoid database identifies peonidin-derived glycosides in cherries, sour, red, raw. A separate amount for this page is not established. This does not establish free-aglycone content.
Vitamin C (Ascorbate)
USDA FoodData Central reports vitamin C in Cherries, sour, red, raw.
Cyanidin and Cyanidin-3-Glucoside (C3G)
USDA’s flavonoid database identifies cyanidin-derived glycosides in cherries, sour, red, raw. A separate amount for this page is not established. This does not establish free-aglycone content.
References
[1] Tart cherry juice: Naturally rich in melatonin and shown to improve sleep duration. Losso & Finley 2018. Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms