Tart Cherries are Top Super Fruit for Antioxidants

Tart Cherries are Top Super Fruit for Antioxidants

Tuesday, April 16, 2013


By Heather Callaghan

I know a man who had such severe gout, his doctor told him he’d need
surgery to remove three toes. They were stiff, bent up, and crippled
from the pain of gout, caused by excess uric acid. Before his scheduled
surgery, a friend told him the secret to ridding gout was tart cherries.

It figures, my least favorite food, he thought. So he did what he could stomach: he sat down with a spoon and made himself eat cherry pie filling from a can!

In only a few days his pain faded, his toes worked again, and he
cancelled his surgery. He saved his feet, medical bills, and countless
hours of physical therapy. Amazingly, this mighty fruit even in
processed, sugary canned form saved his feet.

Others have more complications. Maybe they also have metabolic syndrome,
arthritis, fibromyalgia and cannot sleep or stay asleep. Cherries,
specifically tart or Montmorency cherries, can soothe away those
problems. They contain about the highest amount of disease-fighting
antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins and minerals, ellagic acid,
limonene and perillyl alcohol.





They also contain some melatonin that encourages relaxation and sleep.
It's growing in popularity as a sleep aid. One blogger wrote that she
was finally able to sleep the night through after just a couple days
taking the concentrate. Her arthritis was lessened allowing her to sleep
even better.

Researchers have found that the components in whole cherries have a synergistic effect
to provide even more health benefits. That's why capsule supplements
may not be the best choice. All varieties of cherries contain magnesium,
vitamin C, A, E, fiber, beta carotene, potassium (280mg in one glass
with concentrate), iron and folate. It’s the tart ones that pack the
biggest punch, especially for immunity.

They aren’t just for the gout and arthritis; cherries relieve inflamed
response and provide more energy which is why athletes are in love with
them now. They can relieve soreness after exercise. The same goes for
fibromyalgia pain.

Cherries contain antioxidants like anthocyanins which are the flavonoids
that give fruits and vegetables like blueberries, raspberries, beets
and cabbage their color. These ward off pain and inflammation, cell
damage, cancer, ageing, strokes and heart disease.

Studies have found that tart cherries can reduce the risk of heart
attacks and heart disease. Quercetin, another antioxidant, helps lower
cholesterol and prevents the oxidation of LDL or what is termed "bad
cholesterol." That oxidation can cause the molecules to adhere to the
walls of the arteries, causing plaque formation and blockage.

Antioxidant capacity is based off of the oxygen (free radical damage) radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) units per 100 grams.

Antioxidant Levels of Cherries
Cherry Juice Concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
Dried Cherries: 6,800 ORAC units
Frozen Cherries: 2,033 ORAC units
Canned Cherries: 1,700 ORAC units



Tart cherries can regulate and dissolve the uric acid crystals that
build up in the joints. They can repair previous joint damage. Tart
cherries also have phenolic components that are important for protection
against the loss of nerve cell function, called neurodegeneration.

Cherries are most beneficial eaten whole, but tart cherries are more
often taken in capsule, juice, concentrate, dried form, or cooked and
baked. It's mind blowing that even out of a can, tart cherries have more
antioxidants than strawberries, which also have amazing traits.

Different kinds of cherry concentrate are available and make a great
alternative to soda drinks when added to sparkling water. Black cherry
is better for sparkling water - it is more reminiscent of cherry colas
and Dr. Pepper. Tart cherry concentrate is great over ice cream, yogurt,
pancakes and crepes if you're a fan of incorporating supplements into
your food. Although sweet, they actually might help diabetics lower
their blood sugar overall. It controls the metabolism of carbohydrates
and can keep blood sugar from rising.

So eat some cherries, make a smoothie, try some concentrate,
bake a pie (with natural sweeteners) and enjoy feeling better. Stay
asleep, keep blood sugar normal, be cold free, heart healthy, run free,
keep those electrolytes up, slow aging, ease those aches and pains. Life
should be like a bowl of tart cherries.

Source:-
http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/04/tart-cherries-are-top-super-fruit-for.html