A Cherry a Day
Anti-oxidant, Anti-inflammatory Juice Concentrate
Bursting with delicious flavour, cherries have long
been a favourite ingredient in culinary delights.
Nothing tastes better than a firm, ripe cherry, warmed
by the sun and harvested at its peak. And now researchers are discovering
that there is more to cherries than just their palate appeal!
The Magic of Melatonin
Research at the University of Texas Health Science
Center in San Antonio has shown that tart Montmorency cherries contain
significant quantities of melatonin, a powerful antioxidant. According
to Dr. Russel J. Reiter, “Tart cherries, specifically the Montmorency
variety, contain an extremely significant quantity of melatonin1.”
Melatonin is a hormone secreted from the pineal gland;
its concentration in the blood varies throughout the day, peaking
at night-time, triggering sleepiness. Melatonin levels seem to decrease
with age, which may explain why the elderly have more problems sleeping
than children.
The ABC's of Anthocyanins
Since Michigan is the cherry capital of North America,
it’s no surprise that researchers at Michigan State University
were the first to identify the presence of numerous natural compounds
in tart cherries with antioxidant properties.
These bioactive phytochemicals, called anthocyanins,
are especially enriched in tart cherries. To top it all off, tart
cherries are loaded with a variety of nutrients, including vitamin
A, beta carotene, vitamin B6, thiamine, phosphorus, iron, calcium
and potassium.
Follow the label directions to make yourself
a cherry beverage… or let your imagination run wild! Flavour
the water you drink while exercising, serve it on ice cream or stir
it into plain yogurt. Get
the benefits of cherries… to go.
1. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2001, 49, 4898-4902 Detection
and Quantification of the Antioxidant Melatonin in Montmorency and
Balaton Tart Cherries (Prunus cerasus), Susanne Burkhardt, Dun Xian
Tan, Lucien C. Manchester, Rüdiger Hardeland, and Russel J. Reiter.
2. J. Nat. Prod. 1999, 62,
294-296 Antioxidant and Antiinflammatory Activities of Anthocyanins
and their Aglycon, Cyanidin, from Tart Cherries, Haibo Wang, Muraleedharan
G. Nair, Gale M. Strasburg, Yu-Chen Chang, Alden M. Booren, J. Ian
Gray, and David L. DeWitt.
