To Your Health
Health benefits of cherries and other tasty berries.
The Cherry Marketing Institute (www.cherrymkt.org)
The good news about the health benefits of cherries continues to increase. According to ongoing research, Montmorency (a variety common to Northern Michigan) 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. The Cherry Advantage Health News Update has detailed information on the health benefits of cherries. The current issue and back issues are available here.
Cherry-Capital (www.cherry-capital.com)
Cherries have pleased the palates of food lovers for centuries. Now there are new reasons to love cherries. As a recent Newsweek article said "The day when doctors say--'Take 10 cherries and call me in the morning'--may not be far off."
North American Blueberry Council (www.blueberry.org)
For centuries, people have enjoyed blueberries for their flavor and color. In a new research study, animals fed a blueberry extract diet, rich in naturally-derived antioxidants, showed fewer age-related motor changes and outperformed their study counterparts on memory tests. Indeed, blueberries and other foods containing antioxidants may act to protect the body against damage from oxidative stress, one of several biological processes implicated in aging and in the development of a number of neuro-degenerative diseases. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture funded the study.
