Tart Cherries Affect on Glucose and Insulin Levels

Tart cherries are on their way to becoming the next "super fruit." In addition to its inherent nutritional qualities, tart cherries show promise of possessing other benefits, like their potential effect of reducing insulin and fasting glucose levels. While more university-level research is needed to verify this observation, these implications show tremendous promise for those diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome, also known as insulin resistance syndrome or pre-diabetes, encompasses different characteristics a person may have that could put them at risk for health problems:

• Increased Blood Pressure: Commonly called high blood pressure or hypertension. Blood pressure factors in the amount of blood travelling from your heart and the amount of resistance it faces when it flows into your arteries.
• Belly Fat: When there is excess abdominal fat, it can point to a risk of contracting type-2 diabetes because some cells may be actively producing hormones. These types of fat cells can offset your natural hormone balance.
• Cholesterol: A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol may result from being overweight or maintaining an inactive lifestyle.
• High Insulin Levels: Insulin helps glucose get into your cells and is one way that people help control their blood sugar level. When more insulin is used, more glucose may be allowed into your system, an excess of which can potentially lead to a risk of weight gain.

These conditions individually may not lead to the risk of metabolic syndrome, but they could mean you have a risk of disease in general. Studies suggest that lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise, may help lower the risk of serious health problems, including metabolic syndrome.

Why Eat Tart Cherries?

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Michigan, researchers noted that diets supplemented with tart cherries resulted in lowered insulin and glucose levels in animals because of their anthocyanins. As indicated above, this is a potential risk factor for pre-diabetes. In addition to this research, other studies are starting to indicate that Americans with metabolic syndrome are likely to receive a type 2 diabetes diagnosis within 10 years unless lifestyle changes are implemented. While additional research is needed to make overall diet recommendations, it's easy to understand why cherry concentrate or dried cherries can be a great choice when thinking about the lifestyle changes that may be needed to achieve a balanced diet.

Explore the selection of great tasting dried fruits and cherry concentrate Cherry Bay Orchards has to offer, and start your journey to a balanced diet today!