Other Benefits

Diabetes

Some of the compounds in cherries appear to aid in diabetes control and in reducing the complications associated with this disease, including insulin resistance syndrome, or “pre-diabetes, also referred to as metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of traits that can greatly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, characterized by abdominal obesity or belly fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels.

Metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in the United States, especially among adults in their mid-30s.  The American Heart Association estimates that 50 million American adults have it, and many of them don’t even know it.  That’s why metabolic syndrome is frequently called a “silent epidemic.”

But new research suggests dietary considerations can positively impact type 2 diabetes risk factors. A new study conducted by University of Michigan researchers suggests cherries’ lower inflammation, helping to reduce the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  In this animal study, at-risk animals with metabolic syndrome (obese, pre-diabetic) and lean, healthy animals were fed a cherry-enriched “Western Diet,” characterized by high fat and moderate carbohydrate – in line with the typical American diet. The study found that in both groups the cherry-enriched diets reduced two known markers of inflammation by 50 percent.

While inflammation is a normal process the body uses to fight off infection or injury, according to recent science, a chronic state of inflammation could increase the risk for diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

Researchers suggest the effects are due to cherries’ powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which provide their deep red color. 

The animals were fed whole tart cherry powder as 1 percent of the diet. While the amount of cherries used in recent studies could equate to reasonable amounts in a human diet, humans and animals differ substantially in the ability to absorb nutrients like anthocyanins and more research is needed to translate this science into a diet recommendation. 

Click here for additional information on this new study.

For more information on diabetes prevention, visit the American Diabetic Association Web site at www.diabetes.org.

Cancer Prevention

Emerging research suggests that cherries may have the potential to reduce the risk of certain cancers. A growing number of studies indicate that the anthocyanins, which provide the bright, rich red color in cherries, may help inhibit tumor development and growth of human colon cancer cells.

Perillyl Alcohol

Cherries are rich in a phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol (POH). Numerous studies indicate that POH may help prevent the formation and progression of certain cancers. How POH inhibits the growth of cancer is under investigation, but the evidence suggests that POH may:

• Help rid the body of carcinogens or interfere with signals that cause cells to divide rapidly
• Help revert tumor cells back to normal
• Help reduce blood supply to cancer cells, thus starving them for oxygen and nutrition

Click here for more information on the cancer-fighting properties of cherries. 

For more information on cancer prevention, visit the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org