Cherries still missing from the sports nutrition market

On the sports nutrition front, cherries and cherry products may have an application in speeding up post-exercise recovery and improving performance. The American College of Sports Medicine published an article in August 2011 in its journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise which suggested that cherry juice was able to reduce muscle damage caused by intensive strength exercise. The researchers stipulated that this effect was due to cherry juice's high antioxidant content attenuating the oxidative damage caused by this type of exercise.

At present, cherry ingredients are not commonly employed as functional ingredients by mainstream sports product manufacturers. For example, GlaxoSmithKline's Lucozade branded sports drinks, despite offering cherry flavour varieties, makes nothing of cherries' potential in the realm of post-exercise muscle recovery. Lucozade Sport Lite Cherry, launched in the UK in August 2011, only contains cherry flavouring, as does Lucozade Body Fuel Drink Cherry.

Cherry juice positioned as a functional product is being left to specialist producers. UK-based CherryActive, founded in 2005, for instance, offers CherryActive Concentrate made from Montmorency cherry juice, available bottled or in pouches. The product is primarily positioned at the sports nutrition market, although the company makes reference to joint health, sleep and other antioxidant-related health benefits. In addition to juice, CherryActive also offers freeze-dried powdered cherries in capsules and dried Montmorency cherries for snacking.

In the future, we should start to see more mainstream products in the sports drinks arena, such as, for example, sports drinks employing a significant proportion of cherry juice in order to appeal to people seeking sports drinks with a more natural positioning. Protein shakes with added cherry powder (from freeze-dried cherries) and snack bars with dried cherries and/or cherry powder are also likely to appeal to consumers interested in sports nutrition products.

Five easy ways to add Tart Cherries to your routine

Here's five easy way to add delicious Tart Cherries to your everyday routine.

Red Recovery

 The Red Recovery

Increasingly, sports nutritionists are using tart cherries as part of a recovery program to support athletic performance and recovery. Here’s a sample “red recovery” routine designed to minimize inflammation, boost hydration and fuel the body.

From Brighton to London

Last week the Brighton Marathon, this week the Virgin London Marathon

A great time was had by all at this years Brighton Marathon

Day 1 - Virgin London Marathon

This years Virgin London Marathon was opened by David Weir, the wimmer of the Virgin London Wheelchair Marathon 2012

The registration are is getting busy

Sampling cherry juice.



The Virgin London Marathon is almost here….

Wheelchair racing star David Weir and former boxer Michael Watson will open the Virgin London Marathon Expo at London Dockland’s Excel Exhibition Centre at 11am on Wednesday 18 April.
 
Held every year at Excel in London's Docklands throughout the registration process, the biggest and best venue in the country, the show attracts 70,000 visitors over its 4 open days. With 15000 visitors on the week days and 25000 on Saturday you may want to consider visiting in the week to avoid the rush on Saturday. Around 37,000 runners are expected to visit the Excel Exhibition Centre to register for the 2012 Virgin London Marathon before it closes at 5pm on Saturday.
 
Come and visit Choose Cherries us at the Virgin London Marathon Exhibition which is being held at the Excel Centre in London Docklands.

Public Opening Times

• Wednesday 18 April 2012 11am until 8pm
• Thursday 19 April 2012 10am until 8pm
• Friday 20 April 2012 10am until 8pm
• Saturday 21 April 2012   9am until 5pm

We look forward to seeing you there

Choose Cherries at the Brighton Marathon

Choose Cherries had a fantastic show at the Brighton Marathon Exhibition introducing Cherries to a whole new audience who simply weren’t aware of how good this fruit is for you in many ways.

Brighton Marathon

Well the Brighton Marathon has been and gone and what an event it was. The winner of the race was Peter Some of Kenya who set a new course record knocking more than four minutes off his old time, finishing the race in 2:12:01.

This year there was a new two-day format at the exhibition and it is believed that over 20,000 passed through the doors of the Brighton Centre to visit over 110 stands The exhibition was a showcase for running companies and brands specialising in running-related activities, as well as Marathon targeted nutrition which is why Choose Cherries decided to showcase its products and sample cherry juice. We had a very positive reception and interest in the great qualities that cherries possess.

These benefits include:

• Reduce post-exercise muscle and joint pain.
• Packed with powerful-antioxidants.
• A natural anti-inflammatory.
• Can help with the symptoms of gout and arthritus.
• Natural cardiovascular benefits.

So you can get a feel of how the exhibition went and details of our stand so that you can visit us at the upcoming London Marathon Exhibition at The Exel Exhibition Centre from Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st April.

Help us to help you and have the chance to win some great prizes

Why not visit our new www.choosecherries.co.uk website for a chance to win some fantastic prizes. It's free to enter so what are you waiting for!

The website features some fantastic recipies for you to try, including:
Red Recharge Smoothie

Healthy Heart Pancakes and Cherry Sauce

Cherry Whole Grain Cereal Bar

While you are entering the competition you can 'help us to help you' by answer some simple questions. This will assist Dr. Glyn Howatson in his research into the awareness and benefits of Tart Cherries.

Coming soon at the Virgin London Marathon and Brighton Marathon

Pop along and say 'Hi'

During the start of the UK Marathon season, we will be exhibiting Tart Cherries at two of the UK's premier marathon events.  Why not visit our stand and say 'hi', sample some Tart Cherry juice and we will be able to explain their benefits and why they are so good at helping with training recovery.

2012 Brighton Marathon Stand F29 - Friday 13th & Saturday 14th April.

2012 Virgin London Marathon Exhibition Stand 520 at the London Excel Centre - Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st April.

You can also pick up a trend wristband which features a link to our new website where you can win some fantastic prizes (more information tomorrow)

The Power of RED

The Health Benefits of Tart Cherries

Gout & Arthritus:

For decades arthritis and gout sufferers have regularly consumed tart cherry juice for relief of symptoms. As early as the 1950’s, the science began to support this long-held tradition, linking cherry consumption to less pain associated with gout attacks.

Cardiovascular & Heart Health:

Tart cherry consumption has been linked to a number of cardiovascular benefits — from overall anti-inflammation to reductions in cholesterol levels, to decreased risk for atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome — all important heart disease risk factors.

The anthocyanins in tart cherries may also lower blood lipid levels. In an animal study, rats who were fed tart cherry-enriched diets for 90 days demonstrated significantly lower plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin, and a plasma marker of oxidative damage.They also had slightly higher high-density lipoproteins (HDL – the "good" cholesterol) and significantly elevated blood antioxidant capacity.

Exercise Recovery & Pain Relief:

The same RED compounds linked to cherries’ arthritis and cardiovascular benefits have now shown promise for athletes and sports recovery to help relieve muscle and joint soreness. Tart cherries could help athletes reduce muscle damage to recover faster from a tough workout, according to a growing body of research

Emerging Benefits:

Researchers continue to uncover new and novel benefits of tart cherries. Some preliminary research has linked tart cherry juice to improvements in sleep and sleep patterns.

In one pilot study, a team of University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester and VA Center of Canandaigua researchers found that drinking tart cherry juice daily helped reduce the severity of insomnia and time spent awake after going to sleep. The 15 older adults saved about 17 minutes of wake time after going to sleep, on average, when drinking cherry juice daily, compared to when they were drinking the juice drink.57 A second study found that healthy adults experienced improved sleep time and a 5-6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency after drinking two servings of tart cherry juice for a week, compared to drinking a fruit cocktail. The volunteers also reported less daytime napping time while drinking the tart cherry juice.

For further details and to read the full Red Report, please click here