The Montmorency tart cherry is an amazing super fruit. It seems almost on a daily basis, we receive testimonials from our many customers how the tart cherry has helped them to enjoy a more active and healthy lifestyle. Check out what Ruth from Columbus, OH had to say about the tart cherry and being able to enjoy pain free days. The tart cherry is packed full of powerful anthocyanins and other unique combinations of naturally occurring compounds that help to soothe pain including sore muscles in the hands and help with healthy joint function.
The Synergistic Benefits of the Tart Cherry Compounds
Did you know anthocyanins are ranked among the most potent classes of flavonoids? In fact, there are over 350 different types of anthocyanins found naturally in Mother Nature. The best way to see the presence of this flavonoid is to simply look around your neighborhood and in the produce section of your local grocery store. You see, anthocyanins are responsible for giving Mother Nature her endless hues. They help to provide the colors in some fruits, vegetables and berries. So the next time you are in the produce section of your local grocery store and see the blue of the blueberry and the green of peppers, you’re witnessing the power of anthocyanins. In addition, these compounds are also responsible for turning the green leaves of summer trees into the fiery reds, oranges and yellow of autumn. So what makes the anthocyanins presence in the tart cherry so special? The answer to that question is they are in abundance in the tart cherry when compared to other fruits including blueberries. In addition, it is the unique combination of anthocyanins with other compounds that make this red fruit such a powerful ally in helping to maintain healthy joint function and soothe pain, in muscles, for example. Also, when compared to the sweet cherries, the tart cherries contain higher amounts of total phenolics. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry published in 2005, the total phenolics in 100 gram of sweet cherries ranged between 92.1 mg and 146.8. However, the range in tart cherries was a whopping 146.1 to 312.4 mg. The results where almost double for the tart fruit. However, when it comes to the presence of cyanidins, the results are also impressive. According to the research, the amount of cyanidins 3-glucoside for 100 g of sweet cherries ranged from 76.6 to 109.2 mg. Here is a video showing how sweet cherries and tart cherries compare:
Soothing Sore Muscles
An intensive work out or performing simple tasks around the house may cause muscle soreness. For some people sore muscles may also lead to painful muscles, hence the title of this post. What is interesting is muscle soreness may also lead to loss of muscle strength. In fact, published research (1) suggests that those looking to soothe sore muscles from physical exercise should consider looking at tart cherries and tart cherry juice. For example, low-impact exercises, like running, may cause micro-tears in muscle fibers. These tears may then trigger an inflammatory response due to the natural occurrence of these extremely small tears caused by the motion of running. As the tears occur, free radicals are produced and the combination of micro-tears and free radicals may then lead to soreness, loss of strength and muscle fatigue. As these occur, an individuals’ ability to recover may take longer. This longer recovery time slows a workout schedule or discourages the desire to continue yardwork or other physical work around the house. However, those who find a way to overcome soreness can last much longer. The Kuehl research, as mentioned above, included some participants in the strenuous Hood to Coast relay. This is an annual event taking place in Oregon. The participants of the study were asked to randomly consume a tart cherry juice blend or a placebo. Each of them drank the cherry juice or the placebo twice day for seven days prior to the race and again twice a day during the race. At the end of the race the participants were given a rating scale and asked to rate the ability of the drink they consumed to relieve pain. According to the study, the participants indicated they experienced more pain after race, probably due to the intense stress placed on the muscles, then prior to the race. However, the one of the most interesting areas of the finding is those who drank the cherry juice reported smaller increases in muscle pain. Another study conducted by Howaston et.al. (2) was conducted in 2008 during the London Marathon. Similar to previous studies, the researchers asked select participants to drink a placebo or tart cherry juice before, during and after the marathon. Similar to other research findings those drinking the tart cherry juice enjoyed a faster return of muscle strength and less pain when compared to those drinking the placebo. Finally, the group drinking the cherry juice had significantly less evaluated levels of markers of inflammation in the blood while enjoying higher levels of free-radical fighting antioxidants levels when compared to the placebo group.
Maintaining Healthy Joint Function
Maintaining healthy joint function is near the top of the list of many Americans. One of the reasons is joint movement is vital to maintaining an active lifestyle. In addition, healthy joints potentially may lead to less pain and less joint injury. Tart cherries may help maintain healthy joint function. Several studies have been published on how tart cherry juice, cherry extract and cherry pills helped to maintain healthy joint function.
The Final Take Away and What You Need to Know
Cherries are natural source of powerful anthocyanins.
This little red fruit has a number of published research reports and studies conducted by some of the most respected research organizations. This means there is peer-reviewed research indicating the condition-specific benefits of cherry juice and the tart cherry.
Helps to maintain healthy joint function.
Is a natural pain reliever and helps soothe muscle soreness
The benefit of all of knowing this information about cherries is this amazing, red super fruit is also available in cherry capsule form. This makes it simple to enjoy the natural benefits of this Michigan-grown fruit. Feel free to contact us toll-free about the information in this article. Contact us toll-free at 1-877-746-7477 and ask to speak with a Traverse Bay Farms Natural Health Supporter.
