Gout and 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. 46

More recent studies have supported this finding. One study found that when healthy women ate two servings (280 grams) of cherries after an overnight fast, they showed a 15 percent reduction in uric acid levels, as well as lowered nitric oxide and C-reactive protein levels – all of which is associated with inflammatory diseases like gout.47

Another study supported a lower uric acid level after cherry consumption, finding that after drinking eight ounces of tart cherry juice daily for four weeks, many adults had lower levels of uric acid. 44

The inflammatory benefits have potential to extend to arthritis sufferers too. In a 12-week pilot study conducted by researchers at Baylor Research Institute, a daily dose of tart cherries (as cherry extract) helped reduce osteoarthritis pain by more than 20 percent for the majority of men and women. 48

44. Martin KR, Bopp J, Burrell L, Hook G. The effect of 100% tart cherry juice on serum uric acid levels, biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk factors. FASEB J 2011;25:339.2.
46. Blau LW. Cherry diet control for gout and arthritis. Tex Rep Biol Med. 1950;8:309-311.
47. Jacob RA, Spinozzi GM, Simon VA, Kelly DS, Prior RL, Hess-Pierce B, Kader AA. Consumption of cherries lowers plasma urate in healthy women. J Nutr 2003;133:1826-182948. Cush JJ. Baylor Research Institute, pilot study on tart cherry and osteoarthritis of the knees, 2007.
48. Cush JJ. Baylor Research Institute, pilot study on tart cherry and osteoarthritis of the knees, 2007.

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.

Understanding ORAC

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a measure of antioxidant strength. ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate. The more oxygen radicals a food can absorb, the higher its ORAC score.

Phytonutrient Match-Up

See how other fruits match up to cherries’ powerful phytonutrient profile. 3,5,16,19-37*

*3 - Kirakosyan A, Seymour EM, Llanes DEU, Kaufman PB, Bolling SF. Chemical profile and antioxidant capacities of tart cherry products. Food Chem 2009;115:20-25.
5 - Wang H, Nair MG, Strasburg GM, Booren AM, Gray JI. Antioxidant polyphenols from tart cherries (Prunus cerasus). J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:840-844.
16 - Seeram NP, Momin RA, Nair MG, Bourquin LD. Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant cyanidin glycosides in cherries and berries. Phytomedicine 2001;8:362-369.
19-37
19. Aaby K, Ekeberg D, Skrede G. Characterization of phenolic compounds in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) fruits by different HPLC detectors and contribution of individual compounds to total antioxidant capacity. J Agric Food Chem 2007;55:4395-4406.
20. Badria FA. Melatonin, serotonin, and tryptamine in some Egyptian food and medicinal food and medicinal plants. J Med Food 2002;5:153-157.
21. Bonerz D, Würth, K, Dietrich H, Will F. Analytical characterization
and the impact of ageing on anthocyanin composition and degradation in juices from five sour cherry cultivars. Eur Food Res Technol 2007;224:355-364.
22. Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutr J 2004, 3:5.
23. Brownmiller C, Howard L, Prior R. Processing and storage effects on procyanidin composition and concentration of processed blueberry products. J Agric Food Chem 2009;57:1896–1902.
24. Burkhardt S, Tan DX, Manchester LC, Hardeland R, Reiter RJ. Detection and quantification of the antioxidant melatonin in Montmorency and Balaton tart cherries (Prunus cerasus). J Agric Food Chem 2001;49:4898–4902.
25. Cho MJ, Howard LR, Prior RL, Clark JR. Flavonoid glycosides and antioxidant capacity of various blackberry, blueberry and red grape genotypes determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. J Sci Food Agric 2004;84:1771-1782.
26. Gil MI, Tomás-Barberán FA, Hess-Pierce B, Holcroft DM, Kader AA. Antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and its relationship with phenolic composition and processing. J Agric Food Chem 2000;48:4581-4589.
27. Lansky EP, Newman RA. Punica granatum (pomegranate) and its potential for prevention
and treatment of inflammation and cancer.
J Ethnopharmacol 2007;109:177-206.
28. Lopes da Silva F, Escribano-Bailóna MT, Alonsoa JJP, Rivas-Gonzaloa JC, Santos-Buelga C. Anthocyanin pigments in strawberry. Food Sci Technol 2007;40:374-382.
29. Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C, Rémésy C, Jiménez L. Polyphenols: food sources and
bioavailability. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:727-747.
30. Noda Y, Kaneyuki T, Mori A, Packer L. Antioxidant activities of pomegranate fruit extract and its
anthocyanidins: delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin. J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:166-171.
31. Olsson ME, Ekvall J, Gustavsson KE, Nilsson J, Pillai D, Sjöholm I, Svensson U, Akesson B, Nyman MG. Antioxidants, low molecular weight carbohydrates, and total antioxidant capacity in strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa): Effects of cultivar, ripening, and storage. J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:2490-2498.
32. Pascual Teresa S, Santos Buelga C, Rivas Gonzalo JC. Quantitative analysis of flavan-3-ols in Spanish foodstuffs and beverages. J Agric Food Chem 2000;48:5331-5337.
33. Piccolella S, Fiorentino A, Pacifico S, D’Abrosca B, Uzzo P, Monaco P. Antioxidant properties of sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L.): Role of colorless phytochemicals
from the methanolic extract of ripe fruits. J Agric Food Chem 2008;56:1928-1935.
34. Sellappan S, Akoh CC, Krewer G. Phenolic compoundsand antioxidant capacity of Georgia-grown blueberries and blackberries. J Agric Food Chem 2002;50:2432–2438.
35. Vrhovsek U, Rigo A, Tonon D, Mattivi F. Quantitation of polyphenols in different apple varieties. J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:6532-6538.
36. Walaszek Z, Szemraj J, Hanausek M, Adams AK, Sherman U. D-glucaric acid content of various fruits and vegetables and cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary D-glucarate in the rat. Nutr Res 1996;16:673-681.
37. Wang H, Nair MG, Strasburg GM, Booren AM, Gray JI. Novel antioxidant compounds from tart cherries (Prunus cerasus). J Nat Prod 1999; 62:86-88.

An Antioxident Powerhouse

Tart cherries are packed with powerful antioxidants. In fact, they have among the highest levels of antioxidants of other super foods.2-5 Tart cherries ranked 14 in the top 50 foods for highest antioxidant content per serving size — surpassing well-known leaders such as red wine, prunes, dark chocolate and orange juice, according to one recent study.6

2-5  
2. Wu X, Beecher GR, Holden JM, Haytowitz DB, Gebhardt SE, Prior RL. Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States.

3. Kirakosyan A, Seymour EM, Llanes DEU, Kaufman PB, Bolling SF. Chemical profile and antioxidant capacities of tart cherry products.  

4. Seymour EM, Ou B. Phytochemical and diverse antioxidant profile of whole tart cherries J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:4026-4037.Food Chem 2009;115:20-25.(Prunus cerasus). FASEB J 2011;25:773.14.(Prunus cerasus). J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:840-844. 

5. Wang H, Nair MG, Strasburg GM, Booren AM, Gray JI. Antioxidant polyphenols from tart cherries.

6.  Halvorsen BL, Carlsen MH, Phillips KM, Bohn SK, Holte K, Jacobs DR, Blomhoff R. Content of redox-active compounds (i.e., antioxidants) in foods consumed in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:95-135.

How Tart Cherries Stack Up

Antioxidants were the number one most sought after ingredient in functional beverages in 2010 by over half of Americans.

Tart cherries have as much, if not more, antioxidants than many other fruits.

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.

The Nutrition of Tart Cherries

Cherry Nutrition Facts

Available dried, frozen or in juice and juice concentrates, cherries deliver a unique nutrient package.

Thanks to everyone who visited us at the Virgin London Marathon

More and more people have asked us about Cherry Juice and its virtues. We had 600 leaflets printed by Northumbria University Life Sciences. They went literally within the first few hours. So if anyone wants to check out the research you can find a link here. If it’s a bit too scientific visit www.choosecherries.co.uk for information on tart cherries.

The Choose Cherries stand was inundated with sampling requests during the 3 day event at London Excel as over 22,000 people sampled our tart cherry juice and wanted to know more about the benefits of tart cherries. We’ve obviously known about the benefits of this fruit for years but it’s good to know that the appetite for more information is increasing. Of course recent research helps the cause as it were.