Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 19:19 pm
The healing and preventative properties of tart cherry concentrate are making it the juice of choice for health-conscious consumers. Learn why in this article from alive by author Sandra Tonn, RHN.
Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 18:33 pm
Montmorency tart cherries contain significant quantities of melatonin. That was the surprising discovery made recently at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Russel Reiter, who has been studying melatonin for more than 30 years, headed up the research team. “Tart cherries, specifically the Montmorency variety, contain an extremely significant quantity of melatonin, enough to produce positive results in the body,” says Dr. Reiter. Here’s more information.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland at the base of the brain. Melatonin influences the sleep process and because it is an antioxidant, it can help the body destroy free radicals, which cause aging and cell death.
How does melatonin function?
The pineal gland, where melatonin is produced in the body, helps regulate hormones and circadian rhythms (daily metabolic balance). The pineal gland functions as a biological clock by secreting melatonin at night. Read More
Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 18:31 pm
Dr. Russel Reiter never envisioned that he’d become a hero to U. S. tart cherry growers, but then again, he never imagined that melatonin, the simple, natural hormone he’d been studying for years would be found in such significant quantities in tart cherries.
“We were surprised at how much melatonin was in cherries, specifically the Montmorency variety,” says Reiter. The only other fruits that have been examined to date are bananas and pineapples, and both have comparatively low melatonin levels. “Cherry juice concentrate, which involves greatly reducing the water content, has ten times the melatonin of the raw fruit.” (1)
Produced in the pineal gland at the base of the brain, melatonin controls sleepiness at night, wakefulness in daytime and functions as an antioxidant to help the body destroy free radicals.(2) Recent research conducted by Dr. Reiter at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, quantified the availability and activity of melatonin found in cherry products. The results were astonishing. Cherries contain an extremely significant quantity of melatonin, enough to produce positive results in the body. Read More
Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 18:22 pm
Recently published research conducted at Michigan State University (1) investigated a range of fruits and berries for the level and activity of anthocyanins found in each. Researchers analyzed the ability of the fruits to inhibit cyclooxygenase and act as antioxidants to destroy free radicals. The researchers then quantified the anthocyanin levels of tart and sweet cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, elderberries and bilberries.
Cyclooxygenase is produced in the body in two or more forms, termed COX-1 and COX-2, for different purposes. COX-1 is built in many different cells to create prostaglandins, which is used for basic “housekeeping” messages throughout the body. The second enzyme, COX-2, is built only in special cells and is used for signaling pain and inflammation. Some pain relief medication works by blocking the messages carried by COX-1, COX-2, or both, and thus the body does not feel pain or inflammation. The anthocyanins that are able to block COX-1 and COX-2 are called Anthocyanins 1 and 2, respectively.
Researchers discovered that the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins from cherries was superior to vitamin E at a test concentration of 125 g/ml. The COX inhibitory activities of anthocyanins from cherries were comparable to those of ibuprofen and naproxen at 10 M concentrations.
Anthocyanins 1 and 2 are present in both cherries and raspberries. The yields of pure anthocyanins 1 and 2 in 100 g in cherries and raspberries were the highest of the fruits tested at 26.5 and 24 mg, respectively. Fresh blackberries and strawberries contained only anthocyanin 2 at a total level of 22.5 and 18.2 mg/100 g, respectively; whereas anthocyanins 1 and 2 were not found in bilberries, blueberries, cranberries or elderberries.
References
(1) Seeram N. P., et al. Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant cyaniding glycosides in cherries and berries. Phytomedicine. 2001 Sept 8 (5): 362-9.
Posted by Robin on April 20, 2010 at 16:39 pm
When pain from arthritis and gout strikes the body, most people don’t care how their medicine works, as long as it does work. What many pain sufferers take for granted is the complex chemical process that allows their pain medication to work. It’s the same chemistry that is making tart cherries the preferred “medication” for a booming generation of pain sufferers.
Drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They work by inhibiting two enzymes, cyclooxygenase I and II (popularly known as COX 1 and COX 2), which are produced by the body as a response to pain. NSAIDs prevent chemical messages from binding to cyclooxygenase. The normal messages are not delivered, so the body does not feel the pain and doesn’t become inflammed (1). Read More
Posted by Robin on April 20, 2010 at 16:11 pm
The good news about the health benefits of cherries continues to increase. According to ongoing research, Montmorency tart cherries are a rich source of antioxidants, which can help fight cancer and heart disease. In addition, there are beneficial compounds in Montmorency tart cherries that help relieve the pain of arthritis and gout. Other fruits and vegetable do not have the pain relief of tart cherries. While the research on the exact mechanisms that give the pain relief is ongoing, many consumers are discovering that tart cherry juice and other cherry products can stave off pain.
Research also shows that tart cherries are a rich source of powerful antioxidants, including kaempferol, quercetin and melatonin. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant considered more potent that vitamins C, E, and A, because it is soluble both in fat and water.
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