{"id":27917,"date":"2026-11-04T04:14:29","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T04:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/11\/04\/best-late-night-drink-if-youre-following-the-mediterranean-diet-yahoo-health\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T04:14:29","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T04:14:29","slug":"best-late-night-drink-if-youre-following-the-mediterranean-diet-yahoo-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/11\/04\/best-late-night-drink-if-youre-following-the-mediterranean-diet-yahoo-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Late-Night Drink If You\u2019re Following the Mediterranean Diet – Yahoo Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reviewed by Dietitian Katey Davidson, M.Sc.FN, RD, CPT<\/strong>
Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.<\/em>
Tart cherry juice contains compounds that may support sleep quality and duration.
Its anthocyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
It's alcohol- and caffeine-free, and is a better alternative than sugar-sweetened beverages.
The Mediterranean diet<\/a> has been named one of the healthiest diets by health experts year after year. This healthy eating approach is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and healthy fats. And while you may know what to eat when hunger strikes late at night, you might be unsure which drink fits. Research and dietitians point to one option worth considering: tart cherry juice.
"Tart cherry juice can be a good option as a late-night drink because it provides fruit-derived polyphenols, including anthocyanins, and naturally occurring melatonin, without added sugar when you choose 100% unsweetened juice," says Melissa Ann Mroz-Planells, D.C.N., RDN<\/a>.
Keep reading to learn more about tart cherry juice for better sleep, along with dietitian-recommended ways to enjoy it.
Beyond its tart taste, tart cherry juice contains compounds that have been linked to better sleep. As a fruit-based drink, it can also fit into the Mediterranean diet.
"It contains natural melatonin, which is the hormone that manages the sleep-wake cycle. It also supplies some tryptophan and magnesium, which help the body produce serotonin for relaxation and deeper sleep," says Amy Davis, RDN<\/a>.
"Research indicates cherry juice may help improve sleep quality and also total quantity of sleep," she adds. However, larger studies are still needed to confirm these potential benefits.
"Tart cherries are a good source of polyphenols, plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and particularly anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol that's responsible for the red, blue and purple colors in plants," says Debbie Petitpain, M.B.A., RDN<\/a>.
Research suggests the anthocyanins in tart cherry juice may help ease sleep problems linked to chronic inflammation<\/a>, such as insomnia. Sleep and inflammation appear to have a bidirectional relationship: Increased inflammation may worsen sleep, while poor sleep is associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers.
Some research suggests that drinking tart cherry juice may help reduce markers of inflammation<\/a>. Although this doesn't directly establish that the juice improves sleep through this mechanism, its combination of potentially sleep-promoting compounds and anti-inflammatory properties makes it worth further study.
Two drinks worth avoiding before bed are alcohol and caffeinated beverages, and tart cherry juice contains neither.
Although some people find that reaching for a nightcap may help them doze off, alcohol can disrupt REM sleep and contribute to more frequent waking. Caffeine is another sleep disruptor, and its effects can linger for up to 12 hours in some people. That's why it's important to avoid caffeine too close to bedtime.
Tart cherry juice can also be an alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda and some energy drinks, which may contain added sugars and caffeine. The Mediterranean diet recommends limiting food and drinks with added sugar, and some research links high added sugar intake with poorer sleep quality<\/a>. Although tart cherry juice naturally contains sugar, choosing 100% unsweetened juices avoids added sugars found in many sweetened beverages.
"Tart cherry juice can make a healthy eating pattern feel enjoyable rather than restrictive. It gives people a flavorful, naturally tart option at night that is caffeine-free and can be used in place of soda, dessert beverages or alcohol," says Mroz-Planells.
When choosing a bottle, look for 100% tart cherry juice<\/a> with no added sugar, as some products contain added sweeteners or other ingredients.
Dietitians share their favorite ways to enjoy tart cherry juice:
Whip Up a "Sleepy Girl" Mocktail. <\/strong>This viral drink<\/a> combines tart cherry juice, sparkling water or a low-sugar prebiotic soda and ice, says Davis. Some versions also include magnesium powder.
Blend It into a Smoothie.<\/strong> Blend a small amount of tart cherry juice with plain yogurt, frozen berries and a handful of spinach. "Keep the portion of juice modest and let whole fruits provide much of the sweetness and fiber," advises Petitpain.
Shake Up a Tart Cherry Spritzer.<\/strong> Combine tart cherry juice with sparkling water, a squeeze of lemon or lime and fresh mint, says Mroz-Planells.
Make a Warm Cherry Drink.<\/strong> Gently warm a small amount of tart cherry juice with water, cinnamon and orange peel, or add a splash to a warm herbal tea, such as chamomile, ginger or lavender.
Try Tart Cherry "Nice Cream." <\/strong>Blend frozen tart cherries, bananas and a milk of your choice for a sweet evening snack.
Tart cherry juice is a flavorful late-night drink that can fit into the Mediterranean diet. It contains polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties and compounds that may support sleep. When you choose 100% unsweetened juice, it's also free of added sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Enjoy it in a mocktail or spritzer, mixed into herbal tea or on its own. Paired with other healthy evening habits<\/a>, it may help you get some much-deserved shut-eye.
Read the original article on EatingWell<\/a>
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Reviewed by Dietitian Katey Davidson, M.Sc.FN, RD, CPTCredit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.Tart cherry juice contains compounds that may support sleep quality and duration.Its anthocyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.It's alcohol- and caffeine-free, and is a better alternative than sugar-sweetened beverages.The Mediterranean diet has been named one of the healthiest diets by health experts year after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}