*This post is sponsored by Cheribundi. I received product and compensation for this post. All text and opinions are 100% my own. But really, it’s the best juice ever!
Over the last six months I’ve been seeing more and more articles pop up about the benefits of drinking tart cherry juice speed up the muscle recovery process in athletes. As curious as I was, I hadn’t actually tried it until about a month ago when I was asked to review Cheribundi. I was both excited to try this product, but admittedly skeptical, because I kept wondering how juice could help me recover from a long run or tough strength training workout.
Now usually the only juice I drink is the fresh juice my husband and I make. We take fresh fruits and veggies, throw ’em in our slow juicer and whala, we have a healthy homemade juice! But while this juice has a lot of health benefits, I’ve never found it aiding in recovery.
I agreed to take the 7 day Cheribundi challenge, which has aligned perfectly with me training for the Boston Marathon. I was excited and interested to see if I noticed a difference drinking this juice for 7 days after a run. A few weeks ago I received my package from Cheribundi. Inside was 8 8oz bottles of their tart cherry juice, along with a coupon and some great information on what studies have proven about their tart cherry juice.
Tart cherries are loaded with phytonutrients, and have proven to help with muscle recovery, pain management and improved sleep.
Quoted from their website, below is some feedback regarding the 7 day challenge.
Athlete Recovery
- Decreased Muscle Soreness – Antioxidants in tart cherries fight inflammation causing enzymes, reducing muscle soreness after workouts
- Faster Recovery – Antioxidants work to reduce inflammation and exercise induced oxidative stress, aiding in the recovery of muscle function which speeds up recovery
Improved Sleep
- Increased Sleep Time – Melatonin in tart cherries helps regulate your body’s sleep cycle naturally, signaling your body to fall asleep and decreasing restlessness at night.
- Improved Sleep Quality – The combination of melatonin and anthocyanins in tart cherries help promote deeper, more restful sleep resulting in better focus, mood, and productivity
Pain Management
- Reducing inflammation which may cause physical pain
- Managing pain associated with common aliments such as gout and arthritis
My experience with the 7 day challenge:
Athletic Recovery: As I mentioned above, and in my last running post, I’m training for the Boston Marathon. So every weekend consists of long runs, longer than what I’m used to, and I’m now up to distances that I’ve never run before. Two weeks ago I did my first 15 miler. My legs were definitely sore and tired after. When I got home, I immediately drank an 8oz bottle of Cheribundi, and no joke, the difference it made in my muscle soreness was significant. I thought for certain that I’d be sore teaching my Monday morning group exercise class, but I didn’t have an ounce of soreness, and in fact, I felt great. The following week I did 16 miles, but sadly, I was out of my Cheribundi. I can honestly say that my legs took longer to recovery after adding only 1 mile without the juice.
Improved Sleep: I’m a horrible sleeper. I can fall asleep, but staying asleep seems to be a challenge, and I’ve been like this for years. By day 4 of the 7 day challenge I started noticing a difference in my sleep pattern. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised that I was staying asleep the whole night and feeling more rested in the morning. This alone makes Cheribundi a miracle juice for me!
Pain Management: With distance running there always seems to be aches and pains, especially as I ramp up my miles. Personally, I haven’t noticed a big difference in this aspect.
Now the moment of truth, would I buy Cheribundi again? Oh but my friends, I already have! This juice has quickly become a staple in my house, not just with me, but my husband is also drinking it too. In fact, we have three 32oz bottles in my house right now. I’m so psyched that a local grocery store that’s only 2 miles from my house sells it, because this is indefinitely now part of my recovery process after runs. I drank a nice healthy glass after my half marathon yesterday, and I told my husband he better be waiting for me at the Boston Marathon finish line with a bottle!
I happily give Cheribundi two thumbs up and I absolutely recommend trying it, especially if you’re an athlete! Take the 7 day challenge and see for yourself! Drink up and let me know how it goes!