Tart cherries are lauded for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. According to Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian nutritionist, they play a painkilling role and can help with post-exercise muscle recovery. And, as this study reflects, cherries are also rich in melatonin, which can help improve sleep duration and quality.###Montmorency tart cherries are the most common variety of tart cherries grown in the U.S. and are available year-round in dried, frozen, canned, juice and concentrated forms. Marketing typically focuses on the tart cherry’s antioxidant properties rather than its role as a sleep aid. This makes sense, as antioxidant-based value adds are top of mind for today’s health-conscious consumers, especially younger ones. But the promise of sleep is also sure to lure consumers of all ages — if they’re not wary of juice’s high sugar content, that is. ###Tart cherry products on the market today are nearly all juices or sweetened cocktail varieties, the type of products that many shoppers are rejecting because of concerns over sugar levels. ferrous lactate vs. ferrous sulfateThe $19.8 billion juice market is expected to decline 7% between 2016 and 2021, a dip that Mintel attributes to this consumer fear. It’s possible, however, that a dynamic marketing campaign focused on cherry juice as a sleep aid could capture consumer attention, especially from those suffering from insomnia. It would also be wise to advertise to older demographics, who may not be as dismissive of juice as younger consumers. ###This stdoes magnesium malate make you sleepyudy’s findings alsoferrous fumarate 324 point to opportunities for food and beverage manbenefits of magnesium citrateufacturers to add tart cherries as an ingredient to existing products like yogurt to gain a health halo. But food and beverage manufacturers need to be careful about asserting health-related benefits of their products without sufficient science to back it up. The Food and Drug Administration warned the industry back in 2005 about making “unproven claims” online or through labeling claiming products treat ot prevent cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Such claims, FDA pointed out, could violate the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.###And while the promise of sleep is not as bold a claim as cancer prevention, manufacturers should still be careful that their claims reflect the ingredient’s properties. It will be interesting to see if cherry juice makers begin leveraging this study’s findings and if the prospect of some extra novo ferrous gluconatesleep will overcome consumer qualms about juice.