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