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What Makes Tart Cherry So Good For Joint Pain?

What Makes Tart Cherry So Good For Joint Pain?

Darrell Miller

10/20/11

Date: October 20, 2011 01:54 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: What Makes Tart Cherry So Good For Joint Pain?

Tart cherries, also known as Sour cherries, are commonly used as ingredient for many desserts, main courses and even side dishes all over the world, specifically Cherry pies. In addition, tart cherries can also be included in the production of delicious preservatives, salads and beverages. This kind of cherry is very juicy and the acid is sufficient enough to satisfy the taste of many cooks and chefs. In fact, more personas in the culinary world love to use tart cherry rather than its sweet cherry relative. This classification of cherries includes the Montmorency and Balaton form which is mainly and abundantly produced in Michigan.

More importantly, tart cherries are also used for medicinal purposes for the relief of health conditions involving inflammation and pain. Therefore, tart cherries have been commonly employed for the improvement of Arthritis, Gout arthritis and muscle pain. Both the sweet and sour cherries contain phenolics. These are substances which naturally occur among plants that have a potent anti – inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties. However, studies reveal that tart cherries contain higher concentration of such beneficial chemical compound compared to that of the sweet cherry.

As we know for a fact, joint and muscle pain are caused primarily by the inflammatory process of the body. When there is inflammation, it accompanies swelling of the area thus causing the nerves in the joint are to be compressed, thereby causing the sensation of pain. Therefore, if the inflammatory process will be halted, pain will also be controlled. This is one of the benefits of tart cherries. It has phenols, specifically known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have the capacity to block the two pain enzymes in the body namely the COX – 1 and the COX – 2. These enzymes are involved in the synthesis of inflammatory compounds known as Prostaglandins. The common pain medications such as aspirin and Non – Steroidal Anti – Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) also function as pain relief by halting the enzymes which are the precursors of prostaglandin.

Clinical studies on tart cherries also revealed that it has the capacity to decrease the concentration of uric acid in the blood. A high level of uric acid will significantly cause joint pains. In fact, this is the main factor why an individual suffer arthritis. One of the bases on the diagnosis of arthritis is the inability of the body to control blood uric acid within normal limits. Both tart and sweet cherries have been long used since the ancient times as home remedy for arthritis.

Furthermore, tart cherries also have very good antioxidant property. It helps the body eliminate harmful toxins of the body such as free radicals by neutralizing these chemicals. Free radicals naturally occur after any biological reaction that the body undergoes, these can cause harm to the body by destroying existing cells and altering the production of new healthy cells. Free radicals interfere with cellular division by tampering the phase of DNA replication. This may lead to abnormal production of cells thus causing abnormal growths and malignancies.

Tart cherries are available in extract concentrates and juices. It is also available in commercial packages of fresh, frozen or dried cherries available widely in many groceries, health food stores and even in the Internet.