| Cherries. Sweet, tart and oh so good. | | | | syndrome, researchers also measured fat |
| Individuals in Dallas, Houston and elsewhere | | | | levels in the rats' livers, as well as the |
| in Texas can find them in pies, drinks, | | | | genetic expression of PPAR (peroxisome |
| pitted, not pitted, juiced, au naturel, | | | | proliferators-activating receptor) in the |
| maraschinoed, covered with chocolate, sitting | | | | liver. The cherried rats had both a lower |
| on top of whipped cream or blended into | | | | level of fat in their livers and a higher |
| special sauces. They've become part of our | | | | expression of the PPAR gene. |
| nation's folklore with George Washington | | | | |
| cutting down a cherry tree. Even cherried | | | | Researchers concluded that the correlation |
| rats, in research, have proven that cherries | | | | between cherry intake and significant changes |
| can do more that add a sweet-tart taste to | | | | in metabolic measurements suggests a positive |
| your dessert or fruit gum. Researchers have | | | | effect from the high concentrations of |
| recently discovered that cherries might | | | | antioxidant anthocyanidins, which are found |
| support a healthy cardiovascular system and | | | | in tart cherries. But the researchers also |
| more in individuals. | | | | concluded that they were not certain if |
| | | | cherry-rich diets might have a similar impact |
| According a study from the University of | | | | in humans. A small clinical trial is planned. |
| Michigan, rats given powdered tart cherries | | | | |
| in their diets had -- lower total | | | | After three months, the cherried rats had |
| cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat | | | | significantly lower cholesterol levels than |
| storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress | | | | another group that ate a normal diet. The |
| and increased production of a molecule that | | | | cherried rats also did better when measured |
| helps the body handle fat and sugar -- | | | | for levels of insulin and other metabolic |
| compared with those that didn't. | | | | syndrome factors -- a condition that often |
| | | | leads to heart disease or diabetes. |
| To mirror the current human population, the | | | | |
| rats used in the study were not the | | | | Researcher Dr Steven Bolling said that the |
| healthiest. These rats had a predisposition | | | | benefits came from small amounts of cherries, |
| toward high cholesterol and pre-diabetes, but | | | | just one percent of the animals' diet. |
| not to obesity. When they reached the age of | | | | Bolling said that the research team now plans |
| six weeks, they were fed either a | | | | to start trials on humans. The key to the |
| carbohydrate-enriched diet or a diet that | | | | cherry's success is anthocyanins, natural |
| included either one or ten percent cherries | | | | compounds that help stop cholesterol from |
| for 90 days. The higher cherry dose was | | | | clogging up arteries. Sour or tart cherries |
| included to investigate toxic effects, but | | | | are especially rich in anthocyanins. |
| none was discovered. | | | | |
| | | | Other studies have uncovered that cherries |
| At the end of the study, the unhealthy rats | | | | also might provide pain relief for arthritis |
| that received the one percent cherry diet had | | | | sufferers and may help individuals get a good |
| significantly lower total cholesterol, | | | | night's sleep by regulating their natural |
| triglyceride, glucose and insulin levels than | | | | cycle. |
| those of the rats that didn't. The same was | | | | |
| true for those on the 10% cherry diet. They | | | | Cherries have been used for medicinal |
| were compared to rats that received a diet | | | | purposes for hundreds of years. Ground-up |
| with an equally high level of carbohydrates | | | | cherry stones were used to relieve chest pain |
| not from cherries. | | | | and stomach problems during the 15th and 16th |
| | | | centuries. It was once thought that eating |
| The researchers also measured plasma TEAC, | | | | whole cherries could ward off kidney stones |
| which is a test of antioxidant capacity in | | | | and herbalists brewed cherry stalks into a |
| the blood. A higher TEAC reading means better | | | | tea to treat bronchitis. |
| ability to neutralize damaging free radical | | | | |
| molecules produced in the body during | | | | As you'll discover, what you put into your |
| metabolism. The cherried rats had higher | | | | body will affect your health. And your |
| antioxidant capacity, which indicated lower | | | | health, good or bad, will eventually affect |
| oxidative stress in their bodies. As storage | | | | your bank account. |
| of excess fat is common in metabolic | | | | |