PICK A LITTLE PREVENTION
Prevent a variety of cancers
Relieve gout and other forms of arthritis
Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
With their hard little pits and rich, shirt-staining colors, cherries take a bit more work to eat than many fruits. But research suggests that this fruit, which contains a compound called perillyl alcohol, are worth the bother—and then some.
“Perillyl alcohol is about the best thing we’ve ever seen for curing mammary cancer in laboratory animals,” says Michael Gould, PhD, professor of oncology and medical physics at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison. In fact, it shows so much promise that it’s being tried in cancer patients at the University of Wisconsin.
Perillyl alcohol belongs to a group of compounds called monoterpenes. Limo-nene, found in the peel of citrus fruits, is another member of this family. These compounds have been shown in studies to block the formation of a variety of cancers, including those of the breasts, lungs, stomach, liver, and skin. Expectations for perillyl alcohol are high, in part, because it is 5 to 10 times more potent than limonene, which itself has been proven to be very effective.
It’s not yet known how much perillyl alcohol there is in cherries, adds Pamela Crowell, PhD, associate professor of biology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Even in small amounts, however, the compound probably has some beneficial effects. So cherries, when eaten as part of a well-rounded diet, can play a small but important role in helping the body ward off cancer.
There’s more to cherries than exotic new compounds. They also contain a variety of antioxidants, which help ward off disease by mopping up harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals that naturally accumulate in the body. Unchecked, these free radicals damage healthy tissues throughout the body, causing changes that can lead to cancer, heart disease, and other serious conditions. Researchers have found that 1 cup of sweet cherries has more than twice as many antioxidants as green tea.
Additionally, a half-cup of sour cherries has 5 milligrams of vitamin C, about 8 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for this vitamin. Sour cherries also provide vitamins A and E. Sweet cherries contain these nutrients, too, but not as much vitamin A and E as their mouth-puckering kin.
The vitamin E in cherries is of particular interest, since one study of postmeno-pausal women found that those who consumed the most vitamin E had the least risk of heart disease. And there was an interesting twist. The women who got their vitamin E naturally—solely from food—had less risk than women who were also taking vitamin E supplements.
The problem with vitamin E is that it’s difficult to get the DV of 30 IU from food alone. In fact, the only foods with a lot of vitamin E are high-fat cooking oils and nuts, which you don’t want a lot of. Cherries are one of the better food sources for vitamin E.
Finally, cherries contain a compound called quercetin. Like vitamin C and other antioxidants, quercetin helps block the damage caused by free radicals.
Fresh cherries are at their ever-loving, mouthwatering best from May through July. To get the sweetest taste from the harvest, here are some tips you may want to try:
Check the stems. When buying cherries, make sure that the stems are green. Dark-colored stems are a tip-off that cherries have been sitting in the bin too long.
Buy in small quantities. Cherries are highly perishable. Even when properly stored in the refrigerator, they’ll only keep for a few days. So plan on buying only what you’re going to eat right away.
Store them dry. Washing cherries ahead of time can cause them to spoil in the refrigerator. So it’s best to store them dry, then wash them as needed. It’s important, however, to wash them thoroughly. Cherries are often coated with a mixture of insecticides, anti-fungal oils, and moisture seals that producers use to keep them fresh.
Use up the extras. When you’re tired of munching cherries, you may want to try a little juice. Simply wash, stem, pit, and crush the cherries. Heat them in a saucepan, then press the mixture through a strainer. Refrigerate several hours, then pour off the clear juice, and add sugar to taste.
Folklore is full of stories about people who relieved the agonizing pain of gout by eating cherries or drinking cherry juice daily. While the Arthritis Foundation still says that there’s no absolute evidence to suggest that cherries really can ease the ache of this form of arthritis or any other, many gout sufferers swear by them.
Several studies have found that natural compounds in cherries may reduce the painful inflammation of arthritis. The first study, conducted at the University of California, Davis, instructed 10 healthy women to eat 45 fresh Bing cherries one day for breakfast. The women were asked not to eat other fruits or vegetables or to drink tea or red wine for the 2 days before the cherry breakfast because the researchers were concerned that these other high-antioxidant foods would interfere with the results. The researchers measured the women’s plasma urate, a marker for gout, before and after the cherry breakfast. The researchers found that the women’s urate levels decreased significantly after eating cherries, which suggests that cherries might play an important role in fighting gout.
A second, follow-up study was also conducted at the University of California, Davis. This study asked 18 women and 2 men to eat 45 fresh Bing cherries throughout the day, every day for a month. After the month, the volunteers’ levels of three indicators of inflammation—nitric oxide, C-reactive protein, and a marker for T-cell activation—decreased by 18 to 25 percent.
A survey by Prevention magazine found that 67 percent of readers who tried cherries for gout had good results. And Steve Schumacher, a kinesiologist in Louisville, Kentucky, enthusiastically recommends them. He advises people with gout to quit eating red meats and organ meats and also to drink two to three glasses of cherry juice a day. He recommends using pure black-cherry juice diluted with an equal amount of water. “Those who have followed this diet faithfully have all gotten results, some within 48 to 72 hours, and some within a week, depending on the severity,” Schumacher says.
“Eat fresh cherries, organic if possible,” says Allan Magaziner, DO, director of the Magaziner Center for Wellness and Anti-Aging Medicine in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. “They’re great as a snack.”
Eat cherries uncooked. Because cooking destroys some of the vitamin C and other nutrients in cherries, it’s best to eat them uncooked to reap their full nutritional bounty.
Prepare them for baking. While it’s easy to eat sweet cherries uncooked, that’s really not an option for the sour kinds. Still, sour cherries are high enough in a variety of nutrients that they’ll keep some of their value even after baking.
In a medium saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with the apple juice until the cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in the honey and vanilla extract.
Add the cherries, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using). Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and turns transparent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve warm.
Makes about 4 cups
Cook’s Notes: The sauce can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan before serving. Serve over pancakes, waffles, or fat-free frozen yogurt.
Calories: 77
Total fat: 0.7 g
Saturated fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 1 mg
Dietary fiber: 1.1 g