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 18:28 pm
New research adds to the in vitro evidence that compounds in cherries may inhibit inflammatory pathways. Dr. Robert A. Jacob with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Human Nutrition Center at the University of California at Davis and a team of researchers reported the findings from their study in the June 2003 issue of The Journal of Nutrition. Ten healthy women, ages 20 to 40, consumed 45 fresh sweet cherries.
The results show that all the women had lower blood uric acid levels after consuming the cherries; the average reduction in blood uric acid levels was 15 percent. Gout, a painful disease of the joints, is associated with high uric acid levels. These high uric acid levels also can indicate future heart attacks and strokes. Information about the study also was featured in the December 2003 issue of Prevention magazine.
Dr. Jacob believes that the anthocyanins in the cherries is what caused the decrease in blood urate and that eating cherries may help lower heart attack and stroke risk. Jacob says canned or dried tart cherries and tart cherry juice contain the same anthocyanins as the fresh sweet cherries used in the study. One serving of cherries a day should have some benefit, according to Dr. Jacob.
Posted by Robin on April 24, 2010 at 18:25 pm
By Tina Miller, MS RD Nutrition lecturer, Dietetics Department
Eastern Michigan University
Look at the person to your left, then to your right – chances are good that one of you battles arthritis pain every day. According to a recent survey, 70 million (one in three) Americans suffer from some form of joint disease, including osteoarthritis and gout. Pain from arthritis reduces mobility and quality of life. In fact, arthritis can be more than pain in your joints – it can be a pain in the wallet too! Americans spend over $1 billion every year on alternative therapies to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.
Unfortunately, there is no cure. However, there are reasonable natural, and even flavorful, methods to managing your arthritis or gout pain. Research has taught us that inflammation associated with arthritic disorders is the chief cause of discomfort. Foods that decrease inflammation can reduce the pain associated with arthritis. In particular, the Montmorency tart cherry is a leader among foods that possess anti-inflammatory properties. Bioactive anthocyanins (pigments) present in tart cherries are the powerhouses that help relieve inflammation. As an added bonus, these same anthocyanins may significantly reduce your risk for colon cancer, the third leading cancer in America.
How much do you need? While there is no set “prescription” for the use of tart cherries, most people benefit from consuming two tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate daily. If you’re on a low-acid diet, you can still use cherry juice concentrate, just be sure to consume it in combination with other foods, or at the end of a meal. Include consumption of tart cherries as part of your healthy eating plan everyday.
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 24, 2010 at 18:16 pm
Some consumers have discovered that Montmorency tart cherries can help relieve the pain of Fibromyalgia, a debilitating muscle disorder.
What is Fibromyalgia Syndrome?
FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons – the fibrous tissues in the body. Most patients with fibromyalgia say that they ache all over. Their muscles may feel like they have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch and at other times they burn. More women than men are afflicted with fibromyalgia, but it shows up in people of all ages. Read More
Posted by Robin on April 20, 2010 at 16:53 pm
According to several new diet plans, medical researchers are convinced that people consume foods that were never intended for human consumption based on genetic makeup. Major diseases, these authors say, are caused by the imbalance between what we eat and our DNA. Humans should break from the typical brown and beige American diet of meat and starches and adopt a more colorful diet, one more heavily weighted with fruits and vegetables. Here is what several of the authors say:
“Cherries offer antioxidant and inflammatory protection from other phenolic compounds they contain, and cherries have been used as a folk remedy for arthritis for many years, presumably because of….anti-inflammatory effects.”
From Eat Your Colors by Marcia Zimmerman.
“Red = Cherries = Fight Arthritic Pain.”
From The Color Code: a Revolutionary Eating Plan for Optimum Health by James Joseph, Tufts University.
“The most convenient way to get your fruits and veggies in the red/purple group are with…cherries.”
From What Color is Your Diet? The 7 Colors of Health by David Heber, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
Posted by Robin on April 20, 2010 at 16:50 pm
“I am so excited about Cherry Juice! I have suffered with hip pain and was taking over-the-counter arthritis medication. I also was trying to exercise and diet to see if I could get some relief from the pain. My cousin who has been listening to my complaints suggested that I try drinking cherry juice because his friend had good results. With my cousin’s insistence I started taking 2 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) a day of the concentrated cherry juice. I’m just amazed. For the first time in weeks, I have slept through the night and haven’t taken any medication. It’s a miracle! This is unreal! I am going to tell everyone I know who suffers from pain about cherry juice concentrate. Thank you so much for this product and for all the time you have spent researching this.”
Kim from Michigan
“In August, I started taking tart cherry juice for the few aches I have and I wanted to tell you how great it is. I had read about a study a couple of years ago, but didn’t do anything about it until recently. I decided to try it and I’m so glad I did.”
Barbara from Ohio
“I purchased my first quart of cherry juice at our farmer’s market at Chicago’s Federal Building. I’m thrilled to find something natural for my arthritis.”
Judith from Illinois Read More
Posted by Robin on April 20, 2010 at 16:43 pm
Gout is a type of arthritis (inflammation of the joints) that mostly affects men age 40 and older. It is nearly always associated with an abnormally high concentration of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is produced in the liver and enters the bloodstream. Under certain circumstances, the body produces too much uric acid or excretes too little. As uric acid concentrations increase, needlelike crystals of a salt called monosodium urate (MSU) form. In time, MSU crystals accumulate and cause inflammation and pain, symptoms typical of gout.
Cherries contain flavonoid compounds that lower uric acid and reduce inflammation. Cherry juice concentrate has been demonstrated to be extremely effective in reducing the pain associated with gout.
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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