Cherries, Bursting With Antioxidants

Cherries, Bursting With Antioxidants

12/21/06

Cherries are members of the Rosaceae (Rose) family, subfamily Prunoideae. They occupy the Cerasus subgenus within Prunus, with Prunus avium being the Sweet Cherry, and Prunus cerasus the Sour, Pie, or Tart Cherry. Popular varieties of the Sweet Cherry are: 'Napoleon' (syn. 'Royal Ann'), 'Ranier', and 'Lambert'. 'Montmorency' and 'Balaton®' are two Sour Cherry varieties.

Michigan leads the nation in the production of tart cherries, producing 70 to 75 percent of the crop each year. Other states with commercial crops of tart cherries include Utah, New York, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Sweet cherries are primarily grown in Washington, Oregon and California. Other states with commercial crops of sweet cherries are Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Montana, Idaho and Utah.

There are new reasons to love tart cherries. America’s ruby-red fruit is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. In addition, Montmorency frozen tart cherries have a low glycemic index. Today, thousands of people depend on the anti-inflammatory properties found in Tart Cherries to treat their Arthritis and Gout symptoms.

Scientific tests show that tart cherry juice concentrate has 12,800 ORAC units per 100 grams of concentrate. This is a very high value, significantly higher than other fruits, including prunes, blueberries and strawberries. The ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) tests, which were conducted by Brunswick Laboratories in Wareham, Massachusetts, quantifies how many antioxidants are in a food and how powerful they are. Brunswick Labs is a leader in ORAC testing and has set the standard for other testing companies.

Dried cherries have 6,800 ORAC units per 100 grams; frozen tart cherries, 2,033 units and canned tart cherries, 1,700 units. Other fruits that have been tested range from 700 to 5,700 ORAC units per 100 grams. Nutritionists suggest that people consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day to have an impact on health.

Tart cherries have 19 times as much vitamin A and beta carotene as strawberries and blueberries. They also are high in fiber and potassium and contain iron, magnesium, vitamins C, B6, E and folic acid; they have virtually no fat and no sodium. “This variety of nutrients in tart cherries translates into good nutrition,” says Rainville. A complete nutritional analysis of tart cherries was recently done on frozen, canned and dried tart cherries as well as tart cherry juice concentrate.

Montmorency tart cherries were also tested for glycemic index (GI) at the Glycemic Index Laboratories in Toronto, Canada. Montmorency frozen tart cherries showed a low GI. The GI is a system that ranks foods by how they affect blood sugar levels in the body. Low GI foods produce a gradual rise in blood sugar that’s easy on the body. Foods with high GI numbers make blood sugar as well as insulin level spike fast. Foods are ranked as low, medium and high.

Health Benefits

Fights Inflammation

Contains Substantial Antioxidants

Melatonin - Cherries are also rich in melatonin said to destroy "free radicals" which are toxins believed to cause or worsen diseases.

Cancer - Diets high in vegetables and fruits like tart cherries may reduce the risk of Cancer

Gout - Cherries may lower uric acid levels when consumed daily.

Arthritis - Anthocyanins in Tart Cherries contain natural anti-inflammatory properties for Arthritis relief.

Glycemic Index - Tart Cherries score a very low 22 on the Glycemic Index.

Source: Cherry Marketing Institute

Health Studies:
Tart Cherries - Pain Relief Never Tasted So Good
Montmorency Tart Cherries - The Natural Choice
New Research Shows the Power of Cherries
Fibromyalgia and Cherries
Chemicals Found In Cherries May Help Fight Diabetes

Be well,
Medicine Plants™

Health Disclaimer! The information presented on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. You should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to your health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

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