Are Cherries the New 'Superfruit?'
The industry's Cherry Marketing Institute this week unveiled its consumer education campaign, "The Cherry Nutrition Report, which supporters call "the first compendium of peer-reviewed cherry-related studies."
The report says a growing body of scientific research shows that tart cherries, which are available year-round as dried and frozen cherries or cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidantscompared to other fruits.
According to the nutrition report, cherries contain antioxidants called anthocyanins, which provide the distinctive red color and may hold the key to the benefits locked inside to help protect your body against heart disease, cancer and other maladies.
Other research by Michigan State University found that some antioxidants in cherries may explain why the fruit seemingly helps ease the pain of arthritis and gout.
The Cherry Nutrition Report also cites studies that suggest compounds in cherries may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of insulin resistance syndrome, or pre-diabetes.
"There's a significant body of evidence suggesting that cherries are one of the most nutritious fruits you can eat," said Reiter, a panelist who helped write the Cherry Nutrition Report. "The evidence was always anecdotal, but it was repeated so often and by so many people that it made us think there was something to it. That's why we've explored this connection from a scientific standpoint."
'Significant body of evidence'
Additionally, cherries are one of the few food sources of melatonin, an antioxidant that helps improve your body's circadian rhythms and natural sleep patterns, said Dr. Russell J. Reiter, a nutrition researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, who wrote the book, Melatonin.
Reiter speculates that eating a handful of tart cherries may help increase melatonin levels in the blood, thereby promoting a more restful sleep.
Within recent years, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned against labeling cherry products as cures for specific ailments, saying more proof is needed, the Associated Press reported. The Cherry Marketing Institute does not attach claims to any specific products."People love the taste of cherries, but they tend to think about pie and other desserts," said Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian and host of the Food Network's "Healthy Appetite" show. "Any thing that you currently make with berries, from oatmeal to muffins, you can easily substitute cherries."
12 Ways to Get Cherries in Your Diet
With all the buzz starting about the health benefits of cherries, you're probably trying to come up with ideas about how to make them a part of your diet. Here are 12 tips from the Cherry Marketing Institute:
• Create trail mix using dried cherries, almonds and whole-grain cereal, or add dried cherries to ready-made granola;
• Add dried cherries to breakfast cereal, oatmeal, yogurt or pancakes;
• Add dried cherries to tossed salads, fruit salads and chicken salads;
• Use dried or frozen cherries in muffin recipes;
• Keep a stash of dried cherries for snacks;
• Add dried cherries to couscous, rice pilaf, grits, risotto and pasta;
• Blend frozen cherries with cherry juice concentrate and low-fat yogurt;
• Keep a bag of frozen cherries in the freezer, grab a handful when hunger strikes, thaw them for a few minutes, then layer with low-fat vanilla yogurt and granola;• Make a cherry spritzer by adding cherry juice concentrate to cold seltzer water;
• Look for cherry juice blends or make your own blend by combining 100-percent cherry juice with another juice;
Source: Cherry Marketing Institute
Cheers,
Eve :-)
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