Cherries. A Nutrition Powerhouse

Cherries powerful package of antioxidants and phytonutrients delivers:

Anthocyanins – Unique antioxidants that are responsible for cherries’ deep red color…and for the fruit’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Researchers suggests cherries may work like common pain medications used by athletes to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.

Melatonin – a potent antioxidant that may help improve the body’s natural sleep patterns. Health and wellness experts agree that how long and how well you sleep may impact overall quality of your training.

Other antioxidants – cherries contain at least 17 antioxidants, including powerful antioxidants egallic acid, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol and quercetin, an antioxidant that may help boost immunity…keeping your training schedule on track.

Essential nutrients – cherries are a good source of vitamin A (beta carotene) and also contain fibre. Sports dietician Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D. LDN, CSSD created the Red Recovery Routine to help athletes manage and minimize their pain – no matter what your fitness level.

What research has been done on tart cherries?

Although anthocyanins, which are also found in blueberries and other purplish-red fruits and vegetables, are known to be powerful antioxidants, no studies have looked at whether cherries--tart or sweet-can relieve symptoms of arthritis, gout, or diabetes outside the lab.

• A small randomised controlled trial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the effectiveness of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage. Fourteen male college students drank 12 fl oz of a cherry juice blend or a placebo, twice per day for eight consecutive days. Strength loss was significantly lower in people taking the cherry juice (4%) compared with the placebo (22%). Pain was also significantly lower in people taking the cherry juice.

• Jill M. Tall, Ph.D., research fellow at Johns Hopkins, was the lead researcher of a study that tested the effectiveness of orally administrated anthocyanins from tart cherries on inflammation-induced pain in rats. The results of the study suggested that tart cherry anthocyanins may have a beneficial role in reducing inflammatory pain.

Tart Cherries can help reduce inflammation

American College of Sports Medicine conference (abstract 1389), drinking tart cherry juice twice a day for three weeks resulted in significant reduction of inflammatory markers. The study, conducted by researchers from Oregon Health and Science University, involved 20 women between the age of 40 and 70 who had inflammatory osteoarthritis.

Anthocyanins are the compounds in tart cherries that give the fruit their vibrant colour, high antioxidant level, and ability to reduce inflammation. There have been previous studies that linked tart cherries to decreased joint pain and muscle pain. In this study, researchers said that up to 40% of osteoarthritis patients have inflammation and "tart cherries may provide beneficial anti-inflammatory activity helping OA patients manage their disease."

Anthocyanins

Tart cherries contain the highest concentrations of anthocyanins 1 and 2 which help block enzymes associated with inflammation. Tart cherries contain significantly more anthocyanins than other fruits, including sweet cherries.16,18

16. Seeram NP, Momin RA, Nair MG, Bourquin LD. Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant cyanidin glycosides in cherries and berries. Phytomedicine 2001;8:362-369.
18. Kim DO, Heo HJ, Kim YJ, Yang HS, Lee CY. Sweet and sour cherry phenolics and their protective effects on neuronal cells. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53:9921-9927.