| April 28, 2009 | Media contact: Shantell Kirkendoll E-mail: smkirk@umich.edu Phone: 734-764-2220 |
Clinical study reinforces heart benefits of tart cherries
Study in adults shows boost in antioxidant activity after eating one and a half servings of tart cherries
Tart cherries are often sold dried, frozen or in juice form. Courtesy Cherry Marketing Institute.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Eating one and a half servings of tart cherries could significantly boost antioxidant activity in the body, according to new University of Michigan research reported at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting.
In the study, healthy adults who ate a cup and a half of frozen cherries had increased levels of antioxidants, specifically five different anthocyanins – the natural antioxidants that give cherries their red color.
Twelve healthy adults, aged 18 to 25 years, were randomly assigned to eat either one and a half cups or three cups of frozen tart cherries. Researchers analyzed participants’ blood and urine at regular intervals after they ate the cherries and found increased antioxidant activity for up to 12 hours after eating cherries.
"This study documents for the first time that the antioxidants in tart cherries do make it into the human bloodstream and is coupled with increased antioxidant activity that could have a positive impact," says Sara L. Warber, M.D., Co-Director of University of Michigan Integrative Medicine, associate professor in the famlly medicine at the U-M Medical School, and principal investigator of the study. "And, while more research is needed, what’s really great is that a reasonable amount of cherries could potentially deliver benefits, like reducing risk factors for heart disease and inflammation."
Previous animal studies have linked cherries and cherry compounds to important benefits, including helping to lower risk factors for heart disease and impacting inflammation. Warber's research team has previosly shown in animals that a cherry-enriched diet can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce triglycerides, an unhealthy type of blood fat. Other benefits of cherries found in animal studies include reduced body weight and less “belly fat,” the type linked with increased heart disease risk and Type 2 diabetes.
"It’s encouraging when research like ours finds that great-tasting fruit can lead to real-life benefits, continuing to underscore the importance of whole foods in the diet," Warber says.
About 95% percent of cherries consumed in the U.S. are grown here, with most coming from Michigan, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York.
Funding for the study was provided by the Cherry Marketing Institute, an organization supported by the North American tart cherry growers and processors.
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Written by the Cherry Marketing Institute.
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