Tart Cherries and Reducing Inflammation

Inflammation is a painful condition that occurs when the body attempts to fight off injury. While inflammation is technically a healing process, it is hardly an enjoyable or relaxing event for the person injured.

Joint inflammation, associated with gout and arthritis, is a particularly common and painful condition that affects many people. Since inflammation is an ongoing concern, university researchers have begun to investigate the link between the regular consumption of tart cherries and how they relate to inflammation. Although more research is required, it is clear that mitigating the painful effects of inflammation through natural products would be a welcome relief.

Do Tart Cherries Help?

There are many over-the-counter pain relievers available that can treat inflammation. These “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” (NSAIDs) inhibit COX 1 and COX 2 enzymes, which are naturally produced when the body responds to pain. NSAIDs prevent the body from binding messages to the COX enzymes. The result? Their typical pain response is never delivered.

NSAIDs are effective in treating inflammation, but repeated and consistent use can potentially lead to adverse side effects, including gastrointestinal system damage.

Researchers are starting to discover that tart cherries may be natural inhibitors of COX 1 and 2 enzymes. The flavonoids found in heavy concentration inside cherries show the most promise of inhibiting enzymes in a manner similar to NSAIDs and may actually help prevent stomach damage.

Tart Cherries: The Research

Multiple studies have been conducted to assess the anti-inflammatory capabilities of tart cherries.

Michigan State University performed one of these studies on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries. They looked into anthocyanins, the compound in cherries which produce their red coloration, to see their role as natural COX inhibitors. Similar studies by researchers at Johns Hopkins have also been conducted regarding tart cherry consumption and inflammatory properties.

Nutritional science is always advancing, with new strategies and properties being revealed seemingly daily. Variation between subjects and environments means that there are no “magic” cures for any symptoms, and cherries are no exception. Tart cherry consumption is not a magic bullet to erase all inflammatory-related symptoms, and any serious medical issue should be discussed with a medical professional, but adding cherries to a healthy diet, combined with exercise, can potentially make a noticeable difference in your health.

Quality Cherry Products

Cherry Bay Orchards offers a variety of exceptional quality cherry products that make it easy to reap the potential benefits of fruit consumption into your daily life. Concentrated cherry juice is available in two sizes—our large bottles that contain the juice of 1,000 cherries, and our handy pouches are pressed from 60 cherries.

Cherry Bay Orchards offers cherry concentrate made from pure Montmorency tart cherries grown with care in orchards in Northern Michigan. We encourage people, even those not currently suffering from inflammation related pain, to consider including cherry products in their diet. Our cherry concentrate and other cherry products can be a valuable addition to your healthy lifestyle.