Cherry juice facts for kids
A glass of Montmorency tart cherry juice
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Quick facts for kids Nutritional value per 1 cup tart cherry juice |
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|---|---|
| Sugars | 32.84 g |
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1.45 g
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Protein
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.83 g
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| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
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| Thiamine (B1) |
14%
.161 mg |
| Vitamin B6 |
8%
.10 mg |
| Vitamin C |
0%
0 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
4%
35 mg |
| Iron |
9%
1.13 mg |
| Magnesium |
8%
30 mg |
| Phosphorus |
7%
46 mg |
| Potassium |
14%
433 mg |
| Sodium |
1%
11 mg |
| Zinc |
1%
.08 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 229.13 g |
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159 calories per cup
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| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Cherry juice is a popular drink made from cherries. People enjoy it as a beverage, and it's also used in many foods and drinks. Sometimes, it's even sold as a health product. To make it, cherries are pressed, and then the juice is cleaned and heated to keep it fresh.
Contents
How Cherry Juice Is Used
In Food and Drinks
Cherry juice is made in large amounts and used in many ways. You might find it in cherry ice cream or as a filling for cherry pies. It's also an ingredient in some special cherry drinks.
Cherry jelly can be made from the juice. Food companies often use concentrated cherry juice to mix with other fruit juices. Juice from the Montmorency cherry is even used to make a strong cherry flavor for food products.
In Special Beverages
Some types of fruit brandy, like Kirsch, are made by distilling fermented cherry juice. Cherry juice is also used to make certain beers. For example, some breweries add cherry juice to their recipes. Cherry cider can also be made using cherry juice. A special sour cherry beer from Belgium, called kriek lambic, sometimes uses sweetened cherry juice.
As a Health Supplement
Juice from the Montmorency cherry is often sold as a dietary supplement. You can find it as a concentrate or as a powder in capsules.
Montmorency cherries are full of natural plant compounds called anthocyanins and flavonoids. Some studies suggest that drinking this juice might help muscles recover after hard exercise. One review found it could be good for trained athletes to help with inflammation and stress from intense training. However, another review found that cherry juice didn't significantly help with muscle soreness.
Some people claim cherry juice can help with sleep problems like insomnia. But there isn't strong scientific proof to support these claims.
Making Cherry Juice for Sale
Large amounts of cherry juice are usually made using two main methods: hot extraction or cold extraction.
Hot Extraction Method
In this method, cherries are heated first. Then, they are pressed to get the juice. After that, the juice is strained and filtered to remove any solid bits. Hot-pressed cherry juice usually has a deeper color. Heating the fruit also stops it from turning brown, which can happen naturally when fruit is crushed.
Cold Extraction Method
For cold extraction, the pits are first removed from fresh cherries. Then, the cherries are pressed, and the juice is collected. This juice is then heated to kill tiny organisms and stop enzymes. This heating also helps solid particles clump together before filtering. Like hot-extracted juice, cold-extracted juice is also strained and filtered. Cold-extracted cherry juice tastes more like fresh cherries and has a lighter color than hot-extracted juice.
Sometimes, frozen cherries are used. This can create a juice that has the fresh cherry taste of cold-extracted juice but with the deeper color of hot-extracted juice.
Processing and Packaging
Sometimes, ascorbic acid (a form of Vitamin C) is added to the cherries before pressing. This helps keep the color stable. The juice is usually filtered and made clear before it's put into packages. It's also typically heated, a process called pasteurization, to make it safe and last longer. Sometimes, it's made into a frozen concentrate. This concentrate is shipped in large containers to food companies or in smaller containers for stores.
In the United States, most cherry juice is made in Wisconsin. Smaller amounts are produced in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.
Making Cherry Juice Drinks
Pure cherry juice has a strong flavor and can be quite sour. So, when it's sold as a drink, it's often mixed with water to make it taste better. Sugar syrup or dry sugar might also be added. Sometimes, a mix of both hot-pressed and cold-pressed juices is used to get the best color and flavor for consumers. Cherry juice is also made into fizzy drinks.
History of Cherry Juice
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the Argippaeans drank cherry juice, sometimes mixed with milk. People in ancient Rome also enjoyed cherry juice.
In the late 1800s, cherry juice was not made in the United States. It was brought in from Germany. German cherry juice was often mixed with alcohol to stop it from spoiling. During that time, juice made in Magdeburg, Germany, from local black cherries was commonly sent to the U.S.
See also
In Spanish: Jugo de cereza para niños
