Eating Cherries In Texas May Be Good For You

Cherries. Sweet, tart and oh so good. Individuals incommon in metabolic syndrome, researchers also
Dallas, Houston and elsewhere in Texas can findmeasured fat levels in the rats' livers, as well as the
them in pies, drinks, pitted, not pitted, juiced, augenetic expression of PPAR (peroxisome
naturel, maraschinoed, covered with chocolate, sittingproliferators-activating receptor) in the liver. The
on top of whipped cream or blended into specialcherried rats had both a lower level of fat in their
sauces. They've become part of our nation's folklorelivers 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 thatcherry intake and significant changes in metabolic
cherries can do more that add a sweet-tart taste tomeasurements suggests a positive effect from the
your dessert or fruit gum. Researchers have recentlyhigh concentrations of antioxidant anthocyanidins,
discovered that cherries might support a healthywhich 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 fatAfter three months, the cherried rats had significantly
storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress andlower cholesterol levels than another group that ate a
increased production of a molecule that helps thenormal diet. The cherried rats also did better when
body handle fat and sugar -- compared with thosemeasured 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 ratsheart disease or diabetes.
used in the study were not the healthiest. These ratsResearcher Dr Steven Bolling said that the benefits
had a predisposition toward high cholesterol andcame from small amounts of cherries, just one
pre-diabetes, but not to obesity. When they reachedpercent of the animals' diet. Bolling said that the
the age of six weeks, they were fed either aresearch team now plans to start trials on humans.
carbohydrate-enriched diet or a diet that includedThe key to the cherry's success is anthocyanins,
either one or ten percent cherries for 90 days. Thenatural compounds that help stop cholesterol from
higher cherry dose was included to investigate toxicclogging 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 thatOther studies have uncovered that cherries also
received the one percent cherry diet had significantlymight provide pain relief for arthritis sufferers and
lower total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and insulinmay help individuals get a good night's sleep by
levels than those of the rats that didn't. The sameregulating their natural cycle.
was true for those on the 10% cherry diet. TheyCherries have been used for medicinal purposes for
were compared to rats that received a diet with anhundreds 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, whichduring the 15th and 16th centuries. It was once
is a test of antioxidant capacity in the blood. A higherthought that eating whole cherries could ward off
TEAC reading means better ability to neutralizekidney stones and herbalists brewed cherry stalks
damaging free radical molecules produced in the bodyinto a tea to treat bronchitis.
during metabolism. The cherried rats had higherAs you'll discover, what you put into your body will
antioxidant capacity, which indicated lower oxidativeaffect your health. And your health, good or bad, will
stress in their bodies. As storage of excess fat iseventually affect your bank account.