Cherry Health Benefits: Arthritis and Gout Relief

Cherries and juice

North America's super fruit... the Montmorency Tart Cherry. What makes this ruby red fruit so great? Not only are they delicious in all forms, but they really pack a punch in terms of health benefits. The bright red color of the skin makes this fruit beautiful to look at, as well as being the source behind all of the health promoting properties.

The Science Behind the Cherry with MORE

People are becoming more and more aware of what they are eating; paying close attention to the health benefits of their food and how they can heal or prevent diseases with the food they are consuming. Enter, Montmorency Tart Cherries.

Although small in size, each cherry encloses many antioxidants that help rid the body of damaging free radicals.

There are over 50 clinical studies exploring the potential benefits of the Montmorency varietal, ranging from inflammation relief and exercise recovery to improved sleep. Montmorency tart cherries are abundant in anthocyanins - a natural compound that contributes to the ruby-red color and distinctive sour-sweet taste. Continued research has shown that the tart taste is an indication of the level of anthocyanins inside each cherry. These flavonoid compounds are behind the tart flavor, bright red color and the health promoting properties.

With millions of Americans looking for ways to naturally manage pain, it's promising that Montmorency tart cherries can help, without the possible side effects often associated with arthritis medications. I'm intrigued by the potential for a real food to offer such a powerful anti-inflammatory benefit - especially for active adults.

– Kerry Kuehl, MD, DrPH, Oregon Health & Science University

Arthritis and Gout Relief from Cherries

Current research has only reinforced what many have already known to be true - that Montmorency tart cherries may help reduce inflammation related to arthritis and gout. Tart cherries are one of the highest sources of phenolic compounds, which have been known to have anti-inflammatory properties - even going up against some pain medications, and notably, the highest of any other food!

Supporting evidence:

  • Reduces uric acid levels. When uric acid builds up in your bloodstream, the pain of gout takes hold. Participants who drank 8 ounces of 100 percent Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice daily for four weeks experienced lower levels of uric acid, which is a biomarker for inflammation.³
  • Lowers risk of gout attacks. Patients with gout who consumed Montmorency Tart Cherries over a two-day period showed a 35 percent lower risk of gout attacks compared to no intake.²
  • Lessens headaches, gout pain, and inflammation. Research conducted in 2001 shows that condensed tart cherry juice is ten-fold more useful than aspirin in lessening headaches, gout pain, inflammation caused by arthritis and also arthritic pain.
  • Manages osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a disorder that affects 70 million North Americans. Participants who drank 10.5-ounce bottles of Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice twice daily for 21 days experienced a significant reduction in serum biomarkers of inflammation. They concluded that Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice may be an effective way for osteoarthritis patients to manage their disease.¹

Montmorency Cherries 101

Montmorency Cherries (Prunus cerasus) are commonly grown in the United States and Canada on small family farms. The name originates from a valley in the northern suburbs of Paris, France, where they were first cultivated back in the 18th century.

These days, 94 percent of Montmorency cherries are grown in the United States and a whopping 75 percent of those grown in the U.S. are grown in Michigan; appropriately dubbed the Cherry Capital of the World. Not only is choosing these cherries good for your health, but you are supporting North American agriculture as well!

July is harvesting time, but you can find Montmorency cherries year-round in varying forms such as dried cherries, cherry concentrate and cherry capsules, just to name a few.

Cherry pure tart cherry powder

Availability of Tart Cherries

Because of their delicate nature, tart cherries are rarely sold fresh. Lucky for you, they are found in a variety of other forms! Try Montmorency Tart Cherry Concentrate, Tart Cherry Dietary Supplements, Tart Cherry Juice, and Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries.

In collaboration with Shoreline Fruit and its Cherry Bay Orchards brand of products, researchers from Texas A&M University shed light on the benefits of the super fruit in aiding muscle recovery. They conducted two separate ingredient specific studies, using Shoreline Fruit's CherryPURE® powder. The first study concluded that those who took tart cherry supplementation after resistance training experienced significant decreases in post-workout muscle soreness. The second study looked at a mixed group of males and females after running a half marathon. Their findings showed that inflammatory markers were 47 percent lower in the tart cherry group post-trial and the perception of soreness was decreased by 34 percent. 

It's easy to see why you should consider Montmorency Tart Cherries your new secret weapon and why they are truly the cherry with MORE.

Sources

Clinical Studies:

  1. Efficacy of Tart Cherry Juice to Reduce Inflammation Biomarkers among Women with Inflammatory Osteoarthritis (OA)
    Publisher:     Kerry S. Kuehl, Diane L. Elliott, Adriana E. Sleigh, Jennifer L. Smith
    Source: Journal of Food Studies. ISSN 2166-1073, 2012, Vol. 1, No. 1
  2. Cherry Consumption and the Risk of Recurrent Gout Attacks
    Publisher:     Yuqing Zhang, Tuhina Neogi, Clara Chen, Christine Chaisson, David Hunter, Hyon K. Choi
    Source: doi: 10.1002/art.34677. (2012) American College of Rheumatology
  3. The effect of 100% tart cherry juice on serum uric acid levels, biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk factors
    Publisher:     Keith R. Martin, Jennie Bopp, Lacey Burrell and Ginger Hook
    Source:     The FASEB Journal. 2011;25:339.2 (2011)

Articles and Websites:

Cherry

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.