A colorful
fruit salad, a plate of grilled vegetables:
these dishes are filled with so many healthy
components that when people eat them, they
can feel confident they are doing something
very good for themselves. Click
here for cherry recipes!
"Clearly, fruit, as a category, tends
to be a good source of vitamin A, vitamin
C, fiber, and some are good sources of
folic acid and potassium,"
says Lorelei Di Sogra, Ed.D., R.D., Vice
President, Nutrition, Dole Food Co., Inc. "In
addition to these nutrients, fruits and
vegetables contain phytochemicals that
are important to health."
Phytochemicals are natural bioactive compounds
that perform a host of functions in the
body as they work with nutrients and dietary
fiber to protect against disease. Some
serve as antioxidants; others modulate
the immune system and hormone metabolism.
Research on phytochemicals is an exciting
new frontier for nutritionists.
"Over 900 phytochemicals in fruits
and vegetables are known so far. Some fruits
and vegetables we know a fair amount about.
Some have not been researched yet," Di
Sogra comments.
Many known phytochemicals are related to
pigment. Bright red fruits, such as cherries,
contain pigments called anthocyanins that
have an antioxidant function. The bright
orange colors of carrots and cantaloupe are
associated with the carotenoids. These and
other phytochemicals with antioxidant functions
add their power to the activity of antioxidant
vitamins A, C and E. Antioxidants scavenge
free radicals in the bloodstream. This may
help prevent the development of cancer. They
also play a role in preventing the development
of heart disease by discouraging fatty deposits
in the arteries. |
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More health benefits of fruits and vegetables
are being discovered every day. That's why most
nutritionists and other diet authorities recommend
that consumers include a variety of them daily.
The USDA Food Guide Pyramid advocates eating 5
to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
for optimum health. In the Dietary Approaches
to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study, people who
ate 8 to10 servings per day along with low-fat
dairy products lowered their blood pressure. That's
good news for the reduction of heart disease and
stroke.
The beneficial compounds in fruits and vegetables
help reduce major health problems like cancer,
heart disease and stroke. They also reduce the
incidence of cataracts, diverticulosis, hypertension,
osteopororis and other diseases. In addition,
people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables tend
to feel energetic and fit. The positive data on
fruits and vegetables continues to grow, and more
fascinating discoveries will be made in the next
few years. Fran LaBell is a writer for a food
publication.
Information on the various research projects
being conducted on cherries was compiled by David
Ropa, a consultant with Thomas J. Payne
When pain from arthritis and gout strikes the
body, most people don't care how their medicine
works, as long as it does work. What many pain
sufferers take for granted is the complex chemical
process that allows their pain medication to work.
It's the same chemistry that is making tart cherries
the preferred "medication" for a booming
generation of pain sufferers.
Drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are called
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
They work by inhibiting two enzymes, cyclooxygenase
I and II (popularly known as COX 1 and COX 2),
which are produced by the body as a response to
pain. NSAIDs prevent chemical messages from binding
to cyclooxygenase. The normal messages are not
delivered, so the body does not feel the pain
and doesn't become inflamed.[1]
Unfortunately, many patients must take pain medication
daily, which can cause numerous side effects,
including upset stomachs, vomiting, kidney damage
and, possibly, ulcers. This is because NSAIDs
inhibit both COX 1 and COX 2, but the COX 1 enzyme
is also important for maintaining normal cell
function within several organs.[2]
Montmorency Tart cherries contain flavonoid compounds
that function in the same manner as NSAIDs and
can inhibit both COX enzymes. However, research
also shows that flavonoids can protect against
stomach damage, unlike their NSAID counterparts.[3]
It is suspected that the high levels of antioxidants
found in cherries, particularly melatonin, provide
a protective function and prevent unwanted symptoms.
This may make concentrated cherry products superior
to over-the-counter pain relief because cherries
block pain in the same manner and reduce potential
side-effects.[4]
Information above provided by The Cherry Marketing
Institute:
[1] H.M. Berman, J. Westbrook, Z. Feng, G. Gilliland,
T.N. Bhat, H. Weissig, I.N. Shindyalov, P.E. Bourne,
'?'The Protein Data Bank,'?A Nucleic Acids Research,
28, 2000: 235-242.
[2] Perazella, Mark A., '?'CCOX-2 Inhibitors and
the Kidney,'?A Hospital Practice, September 15,
2001.
[3] Blank, M.A.; Ems, B.L.; O'?$BBrien, L.M.;
Weisshaar, P.S.; Ares, J.J.; Abel, P.W.; McCafferty,
D.M.; Wallace, J.l., '?'Flavonoid-induced gastroprotection
in rats: Role of blood flow and leukocyte adherence,'?A
Digestion, 58 1997: 147-154.
[4] Wang, Haibo, '?'Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory
Compounds in Tart Cherries,'?A doctoral dissertation,
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI,
1998.
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