The Fruit Growers News - February 2001

Do you remember that scene in every Popeye cartoon when Brutus would go too far and the hero would pull out his can of cherries and becomes stronger, smarter and of course, healthier.

You remember it all but the cherry part, of course. Well, recent research indicates that cherries provide melatonin and many other health benefits. They go down a little easier than cold, canned spinach, too.

Antioxidant rich

New studies indicate tart cherries have significant levels of melatonin, a potent antioxidant. Russel Reiter, a leading authority on the antioxidant, and a team of researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center conducted the latest research.

In their preliminary research, Reiter and Dun-xian Tan used a process called radiomunoassay (RIA) and high performance liquid chromatography to identify substantial levels of melatonin in tart cherry juice concentrate. The amount of melatonin found is significant, according to Reiter.

The next stage of research is to determine the amount of active melatonin available to the human body after the consumption of tart cherry juice or other products. Once identified, researchers will be able to calculate the optimum level of cherries that should be consumed to achieve the greatest health benefits.

Reiter points out, as we age, the human body’s ability to produce melatonin decreases. So, it may be beneficial to find a way to increase melatonin levels, especially for the elderly. In addition, the presence of the antioxidant in combination with other known antioxidants in cherries could have a wide range of health benefits.

Melatonin: What for?

Having trouble sleeping? Many insomniacs have turned to melatonin for a nat- ural way to get more sleep. Richard Wurtman, the inventor who holds the patent covering the use of melatonin for controlling sleep, says that the level of the antioxidant in the body controls the body’s daily circadian rhythms.

Melatonin is rapidly absorbed by the body. Although melatonin is found in the body in small amounts, research has indicated that slight increases in melatonin levels can produce positive results, according to a recent report produced by the Cherry Marketing Institute. Researchers have predicted that eating just a few handfuls of cherries will increase melatonin levels in the blood, thereby improving the body’s natural sleep patterns.

More benefits

Besides melatonin, cherries have been found to contain anthocyanins, perrillyl alcohol, antioxidants and the important vitamins A and E.

The secret is in the pigments that give cherries their rich red hue. They belong to a class of natural dyes called anthocyanins. These compounds are being called Mother Nature’s all-natural chemotherapy agents.

Researchers at Michigan State University were among the first to identify the three anthocyanins in tart cherries. Scientists think that anthocyanins have the potential to inhibit the growth of colon cancer tumors.

Muraleedharan Nair, the lead researcher on the cherry project at Michigan State University (MSU), reports that 20 cherries provide 25 milligrams of anthocyanins. “Anthocyanins help to shut down the enzymes that cause tissue inflammation in the first place, so cherries can prevent and treat many kinds of pain.”

Anthocyanins also may protect artery walls from the damage that leads to plaque build up and heart disease. Amway Corporation (Grand Rapids, Mich.) recently licensed the patents from MSU research and is conducting clinical trails on the health benefits of cherries.

Antioxidants help prevent or repair damage done to the body’s cells by free radicals. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C or vitamin E or beta-carotene, have been shown to increase immune function and possibly decrease the risk of infection and cancer.

In addition, research at the University of Iowa, by Raymond Hohl, has also shown that tart cherries contain perillyl alcohol, a natural compound that is reportedly effective in reducing the incidence of all types of cancer.