Cherries 'reduce heart disease risk'
Tart cherries may become one way of reducing heart disease risk
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Monday, 30, Apr 2007 08:21
Eating cherries could reduce cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease, scientists claim today.
Researchers from the University of Michigan (UM) Health System found that rats fed powdered tart cherries – the type found dried or used in juice and pies – experienced numerous health benefits compared to rats fed the same diet but without cherries.
These include lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress and increased production of a molecule that helps the body handle fat and sugar.
All these are linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors linked to high rates of heart disease and type two diabetes.
The results, presented today at the Experimental Biology 2007 meeting in Washington DC, are said to be a result of the high concentrations of antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins that are found in tart cherries.
It is not yet known if the same effect occurs in humans but a UM team are about to conduct a clinical trial to assess whether tart cherries could become one of ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Lead researcher E Mitchell Seymour said he is "enthusiastic" that "tart cherries conferred these beneficial effects at such a modest daily intake".
Commenting on the results, UM cardiac surgeon Steven Bolling said: "These data from whole tart cherries join other findings that suggest a correlation between anthocyanin intake and reductions in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.
"But there is still a long way to go before we can advocate any course of action for humans. Still, the growing body of knowledge is encouraging."