Liven up your day with a refreshing Tart Cherry & Peach Sparkler that is not only delicious, but has some surprising health benefits. Thank you to the Cherry Marketing Institute for helping me to share this recipe with you.
If you want to see the dark side of me, just deprive me of food (plummeting blood sugar and I are not friends) or sleep. I hear about people who are able to survive on just 4 hours of sleep per night. In fact, they even become more creative the less sleep they get. Maybe that’s the delirium at work!
I wish I could claim creativity with lack of sleep, but it’s more like the zombie apocalypse if I don’t get a solid 7 to 8 hours.
I’ve already told you about some of the benefits of eating dried cherries and drinking tart cherry juice, such as decreasing inflammation, soothing arthritis symptoms and easing exercise-related muscle pain. But did you also know that tart cherries are also a natural source of melatonin, which may help to increase overall sleep efficiency (the time you are actually asleep when you’re in bed)?
I’ll admit that I’ve always been a pretty good sleeper, not one to deal with insomnia unless I was really stressed out about something. But over the past few months, I’ve been feeling groggy in the mornings and drowsy until about noon, which made me think that maybe my sleep wasn’t as uninterrupted as I thought.
When I heard about the Tart Cherry Juice Sleep Challenge, I thought it was worth a shot, research is showing positive effects of drinking tart cherry juice twice a day, such as sleeping 40 to 90 minutes longer. With all of the potential risk factors of sleep disturbances, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, incorporating a natural source of melatonin into my day seemed like a no-brainer.
The challenge is this: drink a glass of tart cherry juice two times each day, once in the morning and once in the evening, for two weeks. Alternatively, you could drink an ounce (two tablespoons) of tart cherry concentrate twice a day, either mixed into a smoothie or just straight.
As much as I enjoy tart cherry juice on its own, I thought it would be fun to mix it into a sparkler, as I’m pretty much addicted to sparkling water. Tart cherry juice, frozen peach and grated ginger, all whizzed up in the blender, then topped off with a little sparkling water. Sleep benefits or no sleep benefits, this is a drink I’ll be making over and over again because it’s so refreshing!
I didn’t notice any difference in how I felt after a couple of days of the challenge, but started to feel gradually better over the two week period, waking up more refreshed and fighting off that mid-morning slump with the greatest of ease. Totally worth it!
For more information on tart cherries and recipe inspiration, be sure to visit the Cherry Marketing Institute site, and follow Choose Cherries on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Other recipes with tart cherry juice or dried tart cherries:
Cookin' Canuck's Tart Cherry & Mango Smoothie
Cookin' Canuck's Curry Spiced Nuts with Dried Cherries
fANNEtastic Food's Tart Cherry, Kale & Feta Stuffed Chicken
Running to the Kitchen's Chicken Cherry Flatbread
Ari's Menu's Tart Cherry Margaritas
Printable Recipe
Tart Cherry & Peach Sparkler Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups tart cherry juice
- 6 ounces frozen peaches
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ice
- 6 ounces sparkling water
Instructions
- Place the tart cherry juice, frozen peaches and ginger in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Divide the puree between two glasses, add ice and sparkling water. Stir and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am honored to be a brand ambassador for the Cherry Marketing Institute. All opinions are my own. This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
I am really interested in drinking more tart cherry juice, I am just unsure of where I might find it? I would love to add it to my smoothies!
Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom
I'm with you on lack of sleep and hunger makes me not a happy person to be around. I can only handle a few night of 6 hours of sleep but must get at least 7-8 to function happily! This sounds very refreshing and a great pick me up!
Carol at Wild Goose Mama
I love tart cherries. I eat dried ones when I need something sweet. Plus I use them liberally in recipes. But the sleep thing----wow I am going to have to try that. Thank you. Oh yeah the sparkler is SPECIAL.
Liz
Oooh, I love your sparkler!!! The cherry-peach combo must taste amazing. I have a friend who swears by tart cherry juice to help her sleep---I need to give it a try!
Nicole @ Or Whatever You Do
You don't have to talk me into ANYTHING cherry. LOVE it! That drink looks fantastic.
Nicole
This drink is gorgeous! I love tart cherry juice!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
This made me laugh because my husband functions on like NO sleep at all and is never affected! Love the drink - we always have tart cherry juice in our house and need to try this sometime.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
I'm going to have to try this. It looks delicious and I'd really benefit from feeling refreshed in the morning after sleeping better at night.
Martha @ A Family Feast
This sounds refreshing and delicious - and if it helps me sleep better...even better!
Pink guava
Definitely going to blend up this luscious- looking beverage and the potential health benefits makes it extra attractive.
Tori Avey
Yum! Healthy and refreshing. 🙂
Toni | BoulderLocavore
I feel like I've lost the ability to sleep well! I knew it wasn't great but then I got a fitbit and I'm positive it's not great. This post is making me more committed to attack that! And this sparkler? LOVE the ingredients. What a great way to perk up naturally.
The Food Hunter
I will try anything to help me sleep!
Lydia @Suitcase Foodist
I am a huge tart cherry fan. I had no idea about sleep benefits though. I am going to have to pick some up today!
Amelia @ Eating Made Easy
I love anything cherry - especially tart cherry - but had no idea there was research supporting a relationship with better sleep. Interesting! As if I needed an excuse to make this smoothie 😉
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
This sounds like the epitome of refreshing, Dara! I loved the challenge and plan to continue it so this will be getting made for sure in mornings to come.
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds
This looks SO amazing and refreshing!
JulieD
Looks amazing, Dara!!! 🙂 I'm going to have to try your tips too!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
I love that we're on the same fruit + ginger + sparkling water page today!! And you know I love it when you promote Michigan tart cherries!! Nothing better!
Linda@FSBO
Oh my, what a stunning and refreshing drink. I'll be adding this to our favorites list.