Cherry Power

In my last blog entry I talked about the healing powers of foods. I appreciate your entries and found some very informative. Clearly, I am not the only one who believes that foods can do more than just fill your belly.
I also mentioned that athletes were turning to a certain fruit juice to help speed the recovery from hard workouts and competitions. Specifically I am talking about cherry juice.

For some time, I have been quite aware of the many health benefits of fresh cherries. They are powerful antioxidants and also have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Tart cherries are the most potent, but in most parts of this country they are very seasonal, and tough to get year-round.
Recent research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that tart cherry juice significantly sped up muscle recovery in athletes who had done very hard eccentric weight workouts. Eccentric or negative muscle training and workouts are notorious for causing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
Interestingly, phytonutrients in cherries have also been shown to be both effective pain relievers, as well as producers of melatonin, which helps regulate and and promote restful sleep.
To achieve optimal antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and recovery results, it is suggested that you would need the nutrients of approximately 75 cherries. This was recently made easy by CherryPharm, which created a bottled drink made from the juice (not concentrate) of tart cherries. I must say that it is quite tasty! The basic science research of cherry power can be reviewed on their site. The New York Rangers ice hockey team drinks it regularly, and I have introduced it into the locker room of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.
Maybe it is time to start adding cherries, or a high-quality cherry drink, to your daily routines. I would recommend it post-workouts to help with recovery, and also in the evening to help promote a better quality sleep.