Leslie Bonci Q&A

A major concern for people who are physically active is the risk of injury due to joint stress and exercise-induced inflammation.  To help prevent inflammation from becoming a major problem, I often recommend my clients include various foods in their diet that can naturally help reduce inflammation.  

For example, cherries, one today’s hottest “Super Fruits”, have been linked to reduced inflammation in the body. Cherries have the highest levels of antioxidants called anthocyanins 1 and 2 which science has shown may have pain-relieving properties similar to some types of pain medications.  And, in fact a recent study by the University of Michigan revealed cherry-enriched diets reduce markers for inflammation in animals

In addition to cherries I also recommend foods like spinach, green tea, sweet potatoes,  olive oil, ginger, fatty fish and ground flaxseed for their anti-inflammatory compounds.

Do the athletes you work with eat/drink cherries?

Yes they do!  In fact may of the athletes I work with have been drinking cherry juice to help reduce their activity-induced inflammation.  I love the idea of having them eat more RED because its those powerful anthocyanins that have the anti-inflammatory properties, so I sometimes mix protein powder with cherry juice.  A few other tips:

Pre-Workout:

·        A handful of dried cherries as a grab-and-go snack.  Or try the Power Berry Trail Mix Energy Cookie with dried cherries, flaxseed, oats and almonds for a carbohydrate and protein-rich boost.

·        Add dried cherries to a bowl of whole grain oatmeal for a carbohydrate-rich energy lift.

·        Create a smoothie with cherry juice, such as the Cherry Berry Smoothie.

Post-Workout:

·        A trail mix of dried cherries, pretzels, nuts and cereal, such as Cherry Trail Mix, to help satisfy the recommended intake of 35-50 grams of carbohydrates and 12-15 grams of protein within 15 minutes of the workout.

Do you recommend cherries for people who aren’t professional athletes?

Absolutely.  For anyone who is active, in particular those who are aging, cherries can offer not anti-inflammatory benefits but also a lot important nutritional benefits.  They are high in antioxidants and they also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times as much as blueberries or strawberries!) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.  And what’s great about tart cherries is they are available year-round as dried, frozen and juice year-round and are versatile enough to use in almost any meal situation. Click here (link to recipes) for cherry usage tips and recipes.

How many cherries should I eat to reap the benefits and help manage inflammation?

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.  One serving of cherries is equal to ½ cup dried cherries, 1 cup frozen cherries, 8 ounces cherry juice or 2 tablespoons cherry juice concentrate.