Where to buy

“Tart cherries, “Twenty cherries

specifically the provide 25
Retail stores, including selected super-
markets, specialty food stores, health
food stores and farm markets, carry
Montmorency
Montmorency milligrams of
variety, contain anthocyanins,
Montmorency tart cherry products all
year. In addition, there are wholesale
and retail businesses that have Web sites
Tart Cherries:
an extremely which help to
significant shut down the
offering a wide variety of tart cherry
products via mail order. The Healing
quantity of melatonin, enough enzymes that cause tissue
to produce positive results in inflammation in the first
For best results from this healing fruit,
check the product label to make sure
that it contains significant quantities of
Fruit
the body.” place, so cherries can prevent Montmorency tart (sour) cherries. In
many kinds of pain.” addition, consumer demand encourages
Dr. Russel Reiter, professor of Neuroendocrin- stores to carry products. If tart cherry
ology at the University of Texas Health Science products are not available from your
Center, San Antonio, Texas Dr. Muraleedharan Nair, a professor in the
Department of Horticulture at Michigan State favorite retailer or wholesaler, ask the
University and with the National Food Safety store management to carry them.
and Toxicology Center at MSU in East Lansing,
Michigan The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is a
national nonprofit promotion organization
funded by U.S. tart cherry growers. CMI’s
mission is to enhance the demand for tart
cherries through market expansion and
promotion. CMI funds scientific research
to discover why Montmorency tart cherries
help relieve pain and promote good health.

Dr. Kate Claycombe (center) and her staff at Cherry Marketing Institute
Michigan State University are studying inflamma- P. O. Box 30285
tion in the body especially as related to cardio- Lansing, MI 48909-7785
vascular disease. Dr. Claycombe is an assistant
professor in the Department of Food Science www.usacherries.com
and Human Nutrition at MSU.
Research is
“We’re looking for nutrients unlocking the health
that can reduce c-reactive secrets of tart
protein (CRP), a biomarker cherries, especially
for cardiovascular disease, so their power to
we are testing the flavonoids relieve the pain of
of Montmorency tart cherries,” arthritis and gout.
says Dr. Claycombe.

8802-1A
Cherries have great taste and
now science-based research shows
that they pack a health-promoting
punch. That’s because ruby-red
tart cherries are bursting with
antioxidants that may relieve the
pain of arthritis and gout and may
help prevent cancer and heart
disease.
● The latest research shows that
Montmorency tart cherries have high
ORAC (oxygen radical absorption
capacity) values. These high ORAC
values reflect the many natural com-
pounds in tart cherries that have
antioxidant properties.
● Melatonin, a powerful antioxidant that
attacks free radicals and may help
prevent or reduce brain deterioration
associated with aging, also is present in
significant quantities in tart cherries.
● The researchers believe the combination
of antioxidants in tart cherries may be
the secret of the natural pain relief of tart
cherries. Other fruits and vegetables do
not have the pain relief of tart cherries.
● Tart cherries are also loaded with nutri-
ents, including high amounts of vitamin
A and beta carotene.
● While research on tart cherries is on-
going, there is overwhelming anecdotal
information on how tart cherries relieve
the pain of arthritis and gout.
More information on the health benefits of
tart cherries is available at
www.usacherries.com
Antioxidants
and so much more
Researchers at Michigan State University
(MSU) in East Lansing, Michigan, were the
first to identify the presence of numerous
natural compounds in tart cherries with
antioxidant properties. Dr. Muraleedharan
Nair is the lead researcher on many of the
projects at MSU.
● There also are three powerful anthocya-
nins in tart cherries. These anthocyanins,
called anthocyanin 1, 2 and 3, have the
potential to prevent inflammation and
may inhibit the growth of cancer tumors.
● Many middle-aged and elderly consum-
ers are choosing to drink cherry juice
or eat cherries rather than take over-
the-counter medications or prescription
drugs to stave off the pain of arthritis
and gout.
● The anthocyanins also may protect
artery walls from the damage that leads
to plaque build up and heart disease.
In fact, the research shows that antho-
cyanins do a better job of protecting
arteries than vitamins C and E.
Cherries and cardiovascular
disease (CVD) prevention
The latest project at MSU is headed up by
Dr. Kate Claycombe with the Department
of Food Science and Human Nutrition
at MSU. Dr. Claycombe and a team of
researchers are studying the possible
cardio-protective effects of cherries on
the newly recognized and most sensitive
biomarker of CVD risk, c-reactive protein.
Using animal models with cardiovascular
disease, researchers will conduct diet
supplementation feeding studies to test
the effects of tart cherries on c-reactive
protein.
Tart cherries
high in ORAC value
Brunswick Laboratories,
Wareham, MA, recently
conducted extensive
nutraceutical evalua-
tions on Montmorency
tart cherry products.
Dr. Boxin Ou, principal
research scientist at
Dr. Boxin Ou Brunswick Laboratories
and one of the leading scientists in the
U.S. on phytochemicals in plant foods,
discovered that not only do tart cherries
have high ORAC values, but they also con-
tain compounds called SOD (super oxide
dismutatse).
● Tart cherry products range from 1,700
to 12,800 ORAC units per 100 grams.
The ORAC test accurately quantifies the
antioxidant capacities of foods by taking
into account the fact that most natural
products are a complex mix of phyto-
chemicals of which many are antioxi-
dants. Other fruits that have been tested
range from 700 to 5,700 ORAC units
per 100 grams. Nutritionists suggest that
people consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC
units per day to have an impact on
health.
● For the first time, Brunswick Labs
discovered that tart cherries contain a
class of compounds called SOD (super
oxide dismutase), which act as super
scavengers of dangerous free radicals,
destroying them throughout the body.
This is a significant discovery because
very few natural foods contain SOD and
the human body is often lacking SOD.
Melatonin in tart cherries
Research at the University of Texas Health
Science Center in San Antonio has shown
that Montmorency tart cherries contain
significant quantities of melatonin, a power-
ful antioxidant. Dr. Russel Reiter with the
University of Texas who has been study-
ing melatonin for more than 30 years was
surprised to find melatonin in tart cherries.
“Tart cherries, specifically the Montmorency
variety, contain an extremely significant
quantity of melatonin, enough to produce
positive results in the body,” says Dr. Reiter.
● Montmorency tart cherries, which
account for the majority of tart cherries
produced in the United States, contain
up to 13.5 nanograms (ng) of melatonin
per gram of cherries, more than is nor-
mally found in the blood.
● Melatonin is a potent antioxidant, much
more so than vitamins C, E and A. That’s
because melatonin is soluble both in fat
and water and can therefore enter some
cells that vitamins cannot. Dr. Reiter says
eating cherries with high melatonin con-
centrations will increase the antioxidant
capacity in the body.