Tart at Heart
A new study shows there may be strong link between tart cherries and cardiovascular health
Dried, frozen or juiced, a new study shows tart cherries may have beneficial cardiovascular elements. The study, from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, Ann Arbor, tested the effects of tart cherry powder on both lean and obese rats, bred to have a predisposition to diabetes and obesity. The rats that received the cherry powder in addition to a high-fat diet didn’t gain as much weight or build up as much fat as rats that did not receive the cherry powder. In addition, their blood levels showed less of the molecules linked to heart disease and diabetes. “These new findings are very encouraging, especially in light of what is becoming known about the interplay between inflammation, blood lipids, obesity and body composition in cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” says Steven Bolling, M.D., a cardiac surgeon at the University of Michigan and the laboratory’s director.
It is still early, however, to definitively conclude that the cherries would have the same effect on humans. But other research involving tart fruits does suggest that the effects would be the same says E. Mitchell Seymour, M.S., a research associate at the University of Michigan and the senior scientist on the project. “It was recently shown in humans that regular intake of darkly pigmented fruits like cherries is associated with reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease,” Seymour says. “The heart-health benefits of these colorful fruits were sustained even when corrected for age and other health conditions. We’re now invested in exploring the specific mechanisms of these benefits.”
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