Cherries
The word cherry refers to a fleshy fruit (drupe) that contains a single stony seed. The cherry belongs to the family Rosaceae, genus Prunus, along with almonds, peaches, plums, apricots and bird cherries. The subgenus, Cerasus, is distinguished by having the flowers in small corymbs of several together (not singly, nor in racemes), and by having a smooth fruit with only a weak groove or none along one side. The subgenus is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with two species in America, three in Europe, and the remainder in Asia. The word "cherry" comes from the French word "cerise", which comes in turn from the Latin words cerasum and Cerasus.
The cherry is generally understood to have been brought to Rome from Persia.
The Wild Cherry (P. avium) has given rise to the Sweet Cherry to which most cherry cultivars belong, and the Sour Cherry (P. cerasus) is used mainly for cooking. Both species originate in Europe and western Asia; they do not cross-pollinate each other. The other species, although having edible fruit, are not grown extensively for consumption, except in northern regions where the two main species will not grow. Given the high costs of production, from irrigation, sprays and labour costs, in addition to their proneness to damage from rain and hail, the cherry is relatively expensive. Nonetheless, there is high demand for the fruit.
Major commercial cherry orchards in Europe extend from the Iberian peninsula east to Asia Minor; they are also grown to a smaller extent north of the British Isles and southern Scandinavia. In the United States, most sweet cherries for fresh use are grown in California and Washington. Important sweet cherry cultivars include 'Bing', 'Brooks', 'Tulare', 'King', and 'Rainier'. Oregon and Michigan provide light-coloured 'Royal Ann' ('Napoleon'; alternately 'Queen Anne') cherries for the maraschino cherry process. Most sour (also called tart) cherries are grown in four states bordering the Great Lakes, in Michigan (the largest producers of cherries among the states), New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, however, native and non-native cherries grow well in Canada (Ontario and British Columbia) as well. Sour cherries include Nanking and Evans Cherry. Traverse City, Michigan claims to be the "Cherry Capital of the World", hosting a National Cherry Festival and making the world's largest cherry pie. The specific region of Northern Michigan that is known the world over for tart cherry production is referred to as the "Traverse Bay" region. Farms in this region grown many varieties of cherries and companies like Traverse Bay Farms sell the fruit of the region. Likewise in Australia the New South Wales town of Young is famous nationwide as the "Cherry Capital of Australia", and also hosts the internationally famous National Cherry Festival. Popular varieties include the 'Montmorency', 'Morello', 'North Star', 'Early Richmond', 'Titans' and 'Lamberts'.
Cherries have a very long growing season and can grow anywhere, including the great cold of the tundra. In Australia they are usually at their peak around Christmas time, in southern Europe in June, in America in June, and in the UK in mid July, always in the summer season. In many parts of North America they are among the first tree fruits to ripen; hence the colloquial term "cherry" to mean "new" or "the first", e.g. "in cherry condition".
Annual world production (as of 2003) of domesticated cherries is about 45698 million tonnes, of which a third are sour cherries. Around 75 percent of world production originates in Europe.
Besides the fruit, cherries also have attractive flowers, and they are commonly planted for their flower display in spring; several of the Asian cherries are particularly noted for their flower displays. The Japanese sakura in particular are a national symbol celebrated in the yearly Hanami festival. Many flowering cherry cultivars (known as 'ornamental cherries') have the stamens and pistils replaced by additional petals ("double" flowers), so are sterile and do not bear fruit. They are grown purely for their flowers and decorative value. The most common of these sterile cherries is the cultivar 'Kanzan'. Cherry trees provide food for the caterpillars of several Lepidoptera. See List of Lepidoptera which feed on Prunus.
Cherries contain anthocyanins, the red pigment in berries. Cherry anthocyanins have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation in rats. Anthocyanins are also potent antioxidants under active research for a variety of potential health benefits.
Health Benefits of Cherries
Cherries like many other fruits are packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body and may help prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as slow the aging process. Perhaps you’ve heard about the controversy between the FDA and the cherry industry and wondered what the fuss was about. Are cherries not as healthy to eat as you thought they were? Should you stop eating cherries? The answer is no.
The controversy is over certain health claims made by the cherry industry and those who sell products containing or made from cherries such as pills, capsules, and juice—and not the health benefits of cherries. While numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the health benefits of cherries, the FDA says that makers of products containing cherries cannot claim that their products prevent, treat, or cure a specific disease such as gout or cancer. The FDA says that these types of claims imply that cherries are “drugs” that cure a disease—without the backing of controlled double-blind clinical trials.
For the general population however, the bottom line is that there’s no reason not to eat cherries. There are two types of cherries, sweet and tart or sour cherries. The most popular type of sweet cherry is the Bing cherry, which is sold fresh in the grocery store. Tart or sour cherries are canned and used in pies, dried into fruit snacks, and made into juice concentrate. Like most other fruits, cherries are fat-free, low in calories and sodium, and high in certain minerals and vitamins such as potassium, Vitamin C, and B-complex vitamins.
Most of the scientific research has centered on the health benefits of tart cherries. Sweet and tart cherries contain pigments called anthocyanins, antioxidants that give cherries their dark red color. Tart cherries are among the top fruits as far as antioxidant levels go. Tart cherry juice and dried tart cherries are even higher in antioxidants than blueberries and more powerful than Vitamin E. Anthocyanins have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and according to the American Chemical Society, eating 20 tart cherries (or drinking the equivalent in juice concentrate) a day could provide the same pain relief that aspirin or ibuprofen do.
Researchers in Texas recently discovered that tart cherries contain high levels of melatonin; an antioxidant and substance produced naturally by the body that is thought to help slow the aging process as well as fight jetlag and regulate sleep. Eating tart cherries, particularly Montmorency tart cherries, can actually increase the levels of melatonin in the body.
Although many of the studies concerning cherries are preliminary and require additional research, the health benefits of eating cherries, both tart and sweet, and drinking cherry juice concentrate are indeed many. Cherries are a potential source of treatment for diabetes achieved by lowering blood sugar levels, may help prevent colon cancer, significantly reduce pain due to muscle damage, provide relief from the pain of gout and arthritis, and lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, a contributing factor in heart disease and strokes.
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Nutrition/Cherries.htm
Cherries are one of today's hottest "Super Fruits." A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as dried and frozen cherries and cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times as much as blueberries or strawberries!) vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.
Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also have been found to help regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.
A new study from the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Program suggests that a cherry-enriched diet may help reduce inflammation, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As science continues to reveal inflammation may be a marker for many chronic diseases, the researchers say emerging studies like this are important in examining the role diet may play in disease management and prevention.
In this animal study, both lean and at-risk animals had 50 percent lower levels of inflammation two important markers of inflammation and also experienced lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels on the cherry-enriched diet, two other key risk factors for heart disease. The most at-risk animals also reduced their abdominal fat and total fat mass – particularly important given the link between excess abdominal fat and disease.
While there’s no clear guideline on how many cherries it takes to reap the benefits, experts suggest that 1-2 servings of cherries daily can help provide some of the health benefits identified in the research.
http://www.choosecherries.com/health/main.aspx
Extraordinary health benefits have long been claimed for cherries, ranging from anti- inflammatory properties to cancer prevention. Modern science is now examining these claims and in many cases confirming and quantifying their veracity.
The following properties of cherries have now been established scientifically:
Potent Anti-oxidant Activity
Cherries have been shown to be rich in powerful natural phenolic anti-oxidants, including well known anti-oxidants anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids.
Such powerful anti-oxidants are widely considered to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and strokes by de-activating free radicals which are formed during naturally occurring metabolism by human cells.
Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities
Cherry phenolic antioxidants, in particular anthocyanins have been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, believed to be capable of treating pain from, and possibly preventing, arthritis, gout and similar conditions; also decreasing symptoms of excercise-induced muscle damage.
Tests at Michigan State University have indicated that cherry anthocyanins can be at least 10 times more active than aspirin and have comparable activity to ibuprofen without the adverse side effects of these commercial analgesics.
Anti-tumour Activity
Cherries have been shown to contain compounds reported to have anti-tumour activity: Ellagic Acid, a phenolic compound, and Perillyl Alcohol, a monoterpene with powerful anti-oxidant activity.
Blood Cholesterol Reducing Activity
Cherries contain beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, high levels of which are believed to be linked to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Sleep Enhancing Activity
Cherries have been shown to contain melatonin, known for its potential as a sleep enhancer, and which also has high anti-oxidant activity.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
Recent laboratory research (2005) at Michigan State University has shown that cherry anthocyanins can increase insulin production in pancreatic cells by up to 100%, indicating that cherries could be effective in diabetic treatment.
http://www.austfunctfoods.com.au/html/cherries_-_health_benefits.html
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2004) — Perhaps George Washington wouldn't have chopped down his father's cherry tree if he knew what chemists now know. They have identified a group of naturally occurring chemicals abundant in cherries that could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In early laboratory studies using animal pancreatic cells, the chemicals, called anthocyanins, increased insulin production by 50 percent, according to a peer-reviewed study scheduled to appear in the Jan. 5 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. ACS is the world's largest scientific society.
Anthocyanins are a class of plant pigments responsible for the color of many fruits, including cherries. They also are potent antioxidants, highly active chemicals that have been increasingly associated with a variety of health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.
"It is possible that consumption of cherries and other fruits containing these compounds [anthocyanins] could have a significant impact on insulin levels in humans," says study leader Muralee Nair, Ph.D., a natural products chemist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "We're excited with the laboratory results so far, but more studies are needed." Michigan is the top cherry producing state in the nation.
Until human studies are done on cherry anthocyanins, those with diabetes should continue following their doctor's treatment recommendations, including any medicine prescribed, and monitor their insulin carefully, the researcher says. The compounds show promise for both the prevention of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, the most common type, and for helping control glucose levels in those who already have diabetes, he adds.
While fresh cherries and fruits containing these anthocyanins are readily available, medicinal products may be the most efficient way to provide the beneficial compounds, according to Nair. It's possible that anthocyanins eventually could be incorporated into new products, such as pills or specialty juices that people could take to help treat diabetes. Such disease-specific products may take several more years to develop, he notes.
Scientists in Nair's laboratory have even developed a unique process, patented by the university, for removing sugar from fruit extracts that contain anthocyanins. This could lead to "sugar-free" medicinal products for people with diabetes.
The current study, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, involved tart cherries (also known as sour cherries or pie cherries), a popular variety in the United States, and the Cornelian cherry, which is widely consumed in Europe. Nair and his associates, B. Jayaprakasam, Ph.D., L.K. Olson, Ph.D., and graduate student S. K. Vareed, tested several types of anthocyanins extracted from these cherries against mouse pancreatic-beta cells, which normally produce insulin, in the presence of high concentrations of glucose.
Insulin is the protein produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. Compared to cells that were not exposed to anthocyanins, exposed cells were associated with a 50 percent increase in insulin levels, the researchers say. The mechanism of action by which these anthocyanins boost insulin production is not known, Nair says.
Nair and his colleagues are currently feeding anthocyanins to a group of obese, diabetic mice to determine how the chemicals influence insulin levels in live subjects. Results of these tests are not yet available.
Although other fruits, including red grapes, strawberries and blueberries, also contain anthocyanins, cherries appear to be the most promising source of these compounds on the basis of serving size, according to the researcher. The compounds are found in both sweet and sour (tart) cherry varieties.
The potential benefits of cherries extend beyond diabetes. Previous studies by the researcher found that certain anthocyanins isolated from cherries have anti-inflammatory properties and may be useful in fighting arthritis. Nair's colleagues have found that cherries also may help fight colon cancer.
But people with diabetes are encouraged to use caution when it comes to consuming maraschino cherries, the bright red candied version that adorns ice cream and cocktails, Nair points out. Many of the beneficial cherry pigments that were present in the fresh fruit have been removed during processing, replaced with food coloring, and extra sugar has been added.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress, with a multidisciplinary membership of more than 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers. It publishes numerous scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041220122203.htm
ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 1999) — The chemicals that give tart cherries their red color may relieve pain better than aspirin and may provide antioxidant protection comparable to commercially available supplements like vitamin E, according to Michigan State University researchers. The new findings "suggest that the consumption of cherries may have the potential to reduce cardiovascular or chronic diseases in humans (such as arthritis and gout)," write the scientists.
The research will be published in the Jan. 28 web edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of Natural Products, published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. It will appear in the journal's February print edition.
While cautioning that studies have not yet been conducted with human subjects, lead author Muralee G. Nair, Ph.D., says their laboratory assay results suggest that a person eating about 20 tart cherries could realize antioxidant or anti- inflammatory benefits. That number of cherries contain 12-25 milligrams of the active compounds, called anthocyanins, according to the authors.
In the study, anthocyanins were found to prevent oxidative damage, caused by oxygen or free radicals, about as well as compounds in commercial antioxidants. They also inhibited enzymes called cyclooxygenase-1 and -2, the targets of anti- inflammatory drugs, at doses more than ten times lower than aspirin. "It is as good as ibuprofen and some of the nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs," says Nair.
"Daily consumption of cherries has the potential to reduce pain related to inflammation, arthritis and gout," added Nair. While reiterating the need for human studies, he says a market may one day exist for putting the anthocyanins in pill form: "Then people can pop a pill instead of eating a whole bowl full of sour cherries. That's pretty hard to do."
A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
The cherry is generally understood to have been brought to Rome from Persia.
The Wild Cherry (P. avium) has given rise to the Sweet Cherry to which most cherry cultivars belong, and the Sour Cherry (P. cerasus) is used mainly for cooking. Both species originate in Europe and western Asia; they do not cross-pollinate each other. The other species, although having edible fruit, are not grown extensively for consumption, except in northern regions where the two main species will not grow. Given the high costs of production, from irrigation, sprays and labour costs, in addition to their proneness to damage from rain and hail, the cherry is relatively expensive. Nonetheless, there is high demand for the fruit.
Major commercial cherry orchards in Europe extend from the Iberian peninsula east to Asia Minor; they are also grown to a smaller extent north of the British Isles and southern Scandinavia. In the United States, most sweet cherries for fresh use are grown in California and Washington. Important sweet cherry cultivars include 'Bing', 'Brooks', 'Tulare', 'King', and 'Rainier'. Oregon and Michigan provide light-coloured 'Royal Ann' ('Napoleon'; alternately 'Queen Anne') cherries for the maraschino cherry process. Most sour (also called tart) cherries are grown in four states bordering the Great Lakes, in Michigan (the largest producers of cherries among the states), New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, however, native and non-native cherries grow well in Canada (Ontario and British Columbia) as well. Sour cherries include Nanking and Evans Cherry. Traverse City, Michigan claims to be the "Cherry Capital of the World", hosting a National Cherry Festival and making the world's largest cherry pie. The specific region of Northern Michigan that is known the world over for tart cherry production is referred to as the "Traverse Bay" region. Farms in this region grown many varieties of cherries and companies like Traverse Bay Farms sell the fruit of the region. Likewise in Australia the New South Wales town of Young is famous nationwide as the "Cherry Capital of Australia", and also hosts the internationally famous National Cherry Festival. Popular varieties include the 'Montmorency', 'Morello', 'North Star', 'Early Richmond', 'Titans' and 'Lamberts'.
Cherries have a very long growing season and can grow anywhere, including the great cold of the tundra. In Australia they are usually at their peak around Christmas time, in southern Europe in June, in America in June, and in the UK in mid July, always in the summer season. In many parts of North America they are among the first tree fruits to ripen; hence the colloquial term "cherry" to mean "new" or "the first", e.g. "in cherry condition".
Annual world production (as of 2003) of domesticated cherries is about 45698 million tonnes, of which a third are sour cherries. Around 75 percent of world production originates in Europe.
Besides the fruit, cherries also have attractive flowers, and they are commonly planted for their flower display in spring; several of the Asian cherries are particularly noted for their flower displays. The Japanese sakura in particular are a national symbol celebrated in the yearly Hanami festival. Many flowering cherry cultivars (known as 'ornamental cherries') have the stamens and pistils replaced by additional petals ("double" flowers), so are sterile and do not bear fruit. They are grown purely for their flowers and decorative value. The most common of these sterile cherries is the cultivar 'Kanzan'. Cherry trees provide food for the caterpillars of several Lepidoptera. See List of Lepidoptera which feed on Prunus.
Cherries contain anthocyanins, the red pigment in berries. Cherry anthocyanins have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation in rats. Anthocyanins are also potent antioxidants under active research for a variety of potential health benefits.
Health Benefits of Cherries
Cherries like many other fruits are packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body and may help prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as slow the aging process. Perhaps you’ve heard about the controversy between the FDA and the cherry industry and wondered what the fuss was about. Are cherries not as healthy to eat as you thought they were? Should you stop eating cherries? The answer is no.
The controversy is over certain health claims made by the cherry industry and those who sell products containing or made from cherries such as pills, capsules, and juice—and not the health benefits of cherries. While numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the health benefits of cherries, the FDA says that makers of products containing cherries cannot claim that their products prevent, treat, or cure a specific disease such as gout or cancer. The FDA says that these types of claims imply that cherries are “drugs” that cure a disease—without the backing of controlled double-blind clinical trials.
For the general population however, the bottom line is that there’s no reason not to eat cherries. There are two types of cherries, sweet and tart or sour cherries. The most popular type of sweet cherry is the Bing cherry, which is sold fresh in the grocery store. Tart or sour cherries are canned and used in pies, dried into fruit snacks, and made into juice concentrate. Like most other fruits, cherries are fat-free, low in calories and sodium, and high in certain minerals and vitamins such as potassium, Vitamin C, and B-complex vitamins.
Most of the scientific research has centered on the health benefits of tart cherries. Sweet and tart cherries contain pigments called anthocyanins, antioxidants that give cherries their dark red color. Tart cherries are among the top fruits as far as antioxidant levels go. Tart cherry juice and dried tart cherries are even higher in antioxidants than blueberries and more powerful than Vitamin E. Anthocyanins have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and according to the American Chemical Society, eating 20 tart cherries (or drinking the equivalent in juice concentrate) a day could provide the same pain relief that aspirin or ibuprofen do.
Researchers in Texas recently discovered that tart cherries contain high levels of melatonin; an antioxidant and substance produced naturally by the body that is thought to help slow the aging process as well as fight jetlag and regulate sleep. Eating tart cherries, particularly Montmorency tart cherries, can actually increase the levels of melatonin in the body.
Although many of the studies concerning cherries are preliminary and require additional research, the health benefits of eating cherries, both tart and sweet, and drinking cherry juice concentrate are indeed many. Cherries are a potential source of treatment for diabetes achieved by lowering blood sugar levels, may help prevent colon cancer, significantly reduce pain due to muscle damage, provide relief from the pain of gout and arthritis, and lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, a contributing factor in heart disease and strokes.
http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Nutrition/Cherries.htm
Cherries are one of today's hottest "Super Fruits." A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as dried and frozen cherries and cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times as much as blueberries or strawberries!) vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.
Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also have been found to help regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.
A new study from the University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Program suggests that a cherry-enriched diet may help reduce inflammation, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As science continues to reveal inflammation may be a marker for many chronic diseases, the researchers say emerging studies like this are important in examining the role diet may play in disease management and prevention.
In this animal study, both lean and at-risk animals had 50 percent lower levels of inflammation two important markers of inflammation and also experienced lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels on the cherry-enriched diet, two other key risk factors for heart disease. The most at-risk animals also reduced their abdominal fat and total fat mass – particularly important given the link between excess abdominal fat and disease.
While there’s no clear guideline on how many cherries it takes to reap the benefits, experts suggest that 1-2 servings of cherries daily can help provide some of the health benefits identified in the research.
http://www.choosecherries.com/health/main.aspx
Extraordinary health benefits have long been claimed for cherries, ranging from anti- inflammatory properties to cancer prevention. Modern science is now examining these claims and in many cases confirming and quantifying their veracity.
The following properties of cherries have now been established scientifically:
Potent Anti-oxidant Activity
Cherries have been shown to be rich in powerful natural phenolic anti-oxidants, including well known anti-oxidants anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids.
Such powerful anti-oxidants are widely considered to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and strokes by de-activating free radicals which are formed during naturally occurring metabolism by human cells.
Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities
Cherry phenolic antioxidants, in particular anthocyanins have been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, believed to be capable of treating pain from, and possibly preventing, arthritis, gout and similar conditions; also decreasing symptoms of excercise-induced muscle damage.
Tests at Michigan State University have indicated that cherry anthocyanins can be at least 10 times more active than aspirin and have comparable activity to ibuprofen without the adverse side effects of these commercial analgesics.
Anti-tumour Activity
Cherries have been shown to contain compounds reported to have anti-tumour activity: Ellagic Acid, a phenolic compound, and Perillyl Alcohol, a monoterpene with powerful anti-oxidant activity.
Blood Cholesterol Reducing Activity
Cherries contain beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, high levels of which are believed to be linked to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Sleep Enhancing Activity
Cherries have been shown to contain melatonin, known for its potential as a sleep enhancer, and which also has high anti-oxidant activity.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
Recent laboratory research (2005) at Michigan State University has shown that cherry anthocyanins can increase insulin production in pancreatic cells by up to 100%, indicating that cherries could be effective in diabetic treatment.
http://www.austfunctfoods.com.au/html/cherries_-_health_benefits.html
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2004) — Perhaps George Washington wouldn't have chopped down his father's cherry tree if he knew what chemists now know. They have identified a group of naturally occurring chemicals abundant in cherries that could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In early laboratory studies using animal pancreatic cells, the chemicals, called anthocyanins, increased insulin production by 50 percent, according to a peer-reviewed study scheduled to appear in the Jan. 5 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. ACS is the world's largest scientific society.
Anthocyanins are a class of plant pigments responsible for the color of many fruits, including cherries. They also are potent antioxidants, highly active chemicals that have been increasingly associated with a variety of health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.
"It is possible that consumption of cherries and other fruits containing these compounds [anthocyanins] could have a significant impact on insulin levels in humans," says study leader Muralee Nair, Ph.D., a natural products chemist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "We're excited with the laboratory results so far, but more studies are needed." Michigan is the top cherry producing state in the nation.
Until human studies are done on cherry anthocyanins, those with diabetes should continue following their doctor's treatment recommendations, including any medicine prescribed, and monitor their insulin carefully, the researcher says. The compounds show promise for both the prevention of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, the most common type, and for helping control glucose levels in those who already have diabetes, he adds.
While fresh cherries and fruits containing these anthocyanins are readily available, medicinal products may be the most efficient way to provide the beneficial compounds, according to Nair. It's possible that anthocyanins eventually could be incorporated into new products, such as pills or specialty juices that people could take to help treat diabetes. Such disease-specific products may take several more years to develop, he notes.
Scientists in Nair's laboratory have even developed a unique process, patented by the university, for removing sugar from fruit extracts that contain anthocyanins. This could lead to "sugar-free" medicinal products for people with diabetes.
The current study, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, involved tart cherries (also known as sour cherries or pie cherries), a popular variety in the United States, and the Cornelian cherry, which is widely consumed in Europe. Nair and his associates, B. Jayaprakasam, Ph.D., L.K. Olson, Ph.D., and graduate student S. K. Vareed, tested several types of anthocyanins extracted from these cherries against mouse pancreatic-beta cells, which normally produce insulin, in the presence of high concentrations of glucose.
Insulin is the protein produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. Compared to cells that were not exposed to anthocyanins, exposed cells were associated with a 50 percent increase in insulin levels, the researchers say. The mechanism of action by which these anthocyanins boost insulin production is not known, Nair says.
Nair and his colleagues are currently feeding anthocyanins to a group of obese, diabetic mice to determine how the chemicals influence insulin levels in live subjects. Results of these tests are not yet available.
Although other fruits, including red grapes, strawberries and blueberries, also contain anthocyanins, cherries appear to be the most promising source of these compounds on the basis of serving size, according to the researcher. The compounds are found in both sweet and sour (tart) cherry varieties.
The potential benefits of cherries extend beyond diabetes. Previous studies by the researcher found that certain anthocyanins isolated from cherries have anti-inflammatory properties and may be useful in fighting arthritis. Nair's colleagues have found that cherries also may help fight colon cancer.
But people with diabetes are encouraged to use caution when it comes to consuming maraschino cherries, the bright red candied version that adorns ice cream and cocktails, Nair points out. Many of the beneficial cherry pigments that were present in the fresh fruit have been removed during processing, replaced with food coloring, and extra sugar has been added.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress, with a multidisciplinary membership of more than 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers. It publishes numerous scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041220122203.htm
ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 1999) — The chemicals that give tart cherries their red color may relieve pain better than aspirin and may provide antioxidant protection comparable to commercially available supplements like vitamin E, according to Michigan State University researchers. The new findings "suggest that the consumption of cherries may have the potential to reduce cardiovascular or chronic diseases in humans (such as arthritis and gout)," write the scientists.
The research will be published in the Jan. 28 web edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of Natural Products, published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. It will appear in the journal's February print edition.
While cautioning that studies have not yet been conducted with human subjects, lead author Muralee G. Nair, Ph.D., says their laboratory assay results suggest that a person eating about 20 tart cherries could realize antioxidant or anti- inflammatory benefits. That number of cherries contain 12-25 milligrams of the active compounds, called anthocyanins, according to the authors.
In the study, anthocyanins were found to prevent oxidative damage, caused by oxygen or free radicals, about as well as compounds in commercial antioxidants. They also inhibited enzymes called cyclooxygenase-1 and -2, the targets of anti- inflammatory drugs, at doses more than ten times lower than aspirin. "It is as good as ibuprofen and some of the nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs," says Nair.
"Daily consumption of cherries has the potential to reduce pain related to inflammation, arthritis and gout," added Nair. While reiterating the need for human studies, he says a market may one day exist for putting the anthocyanins in pill form: "Then people can pop a pill instead of eating a whole bowl full of sour cherries. That's pretty hard to do."
A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
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