| How we as a species thrived during in the early | | | | formation in ground beef while being cooked. |
| days of our existence is quite simple however, as | | | | Nutraceutical-Definition |
| thousands of years leave this era of Man Kind | | | | Nutraceuticals are foods or food components |
| behind the significance of that simple way of life | | | | which are highly considered in the prevention and |
| has begun to surface. Non-existent back then | | | | treatment of disease and provide health and |
| were the synthetic properties of food, juices, | | | | medical benefits. Scientists are now revealing |
| plant foods and meats. Yet we survived and | | | | proof that these types of foods most defiantly |
| thrived without the drug store and its thousands | | | | support in the fight against the simple ailment to a |
| of simulated therapeutic and medicinal concoctions. | | | | health declining disease. |
| Nonetheless, modern society has fallen victim to | | | | Not only does this magical little fruit contain high |
| the saturating of commercialism and its endless | | | | concentrations of antioxidants, the health benefits |
| array of quick fix remedies and medicines. And | | | | cherry growers have been exposed to include |
| ironically, many of these products offer limited | | | | anti-inflammatory properties. Also growers who |
| results. Thus, we are poised to further our search | | | | do eat up to six times more cherries than the |
| for that magical remedy that actually works, an | | | | average citizen have decreased numbers of heart |
| endless cycle that may have been feeding only | | | | and cancer conditions. Antioxidant compounds in |
| one source. | | | | the cherry outweigh vitamins C and E along with |
| New interest has sparked controversy in regards | | | | some synthetic antioxidants. |
| to the simply cherry fruit or rather new interest | | | | Extracting these natural compounds anthocyanins |
| has resurfaced old traditions. Either way it appears | | | | which give the fruit its red colouring could prove |
| to be adding a new dimension to the food | | | | very useful in food processing. Not only that, |
| industry and our natural food supply along with | | | | blending and mixing them to any food can most |
| our futuristic mind set as to what we choose to | | | | certainly enhance our diet without the price tag of |
| consume. | | | | a synthetic product. A parental species of the |
| The cherry fruit along with its distant cousins, | | | | dwarf cherry the tart cherry has been the most |
| blueberries, oranges, lemons and strawberries | | | | widely researched however, because its amazing |
| have always been regarded as nutritious. | | | | benefits stem from the colour of its skin and gel, |
| However, nutritious can be a vague description of | | | | the dwarf cherry is believed to have very similar |
| what's actually inside these little bits of food. And | | | | benefits. |
| for many it has never been part of their regular | | | | Tart Cherry Compounds |
| diet. Maybe it's because the cherry fruit has never | | | | With their superior health properties research |
| been included as part of wide scale commercialism | | | | explains that the tart cherry contains a healthy |
| for its health benefits just as the Aloe Vera Plant | | | | combination of what as known so far as 17 |
| or juices has never been publicized for its | | | | natural compounds. The most prevalent are listed |
| incredible compounds. | | | | here. |
| Food scientists however spend their lives | | | | Melatonin: As explained above, this potent |
| researching underexposed ingredients of many | | | | antioxidant also serves in improving the body's |
| foods and the new or rather re-surfaced | | | | natural sleep patterns and circadian rhythms. And |
| discovery of the health benefits of this fruit is | | | | can aid in soothing sore muscles |
| what's creating new interest. | | | | Beta Carotene: Excellent for shortening the |
| Cherry produces ten Times more Melatonin | | | | lifespan of a cold or minor flu. Also aids in |
| Melatonin research has regarded the tart cherry | | | | preventing more occurrences of colds. Antioxidant |
| with high regard and Dr. Russel Reiter who has | | | | also works in conjunction with pituitary gland and |
| spent 30 years researching was amazed by his | | | | hormone production. |
| findings of the hormone Melatonin and the | | | | Vitamin A: when beta carotene enters the body it |
| abundance of it in the tart cherry. In addition, | | | | is stored to be broken down into vitamin A |
| Montmorency cherries which are more widely | | | | Flavonoids: Known as melatonin and phenol |
| produced contain up to 13.5 nanograms of | | | | compounds which help support cardiovascular |
| melatonin per gram.. This ratio is more than what | | | | health. Cherries contain three flavonoids, |
| is found in our blood. And in comparison to other | | | | anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins and |
| raw fruit cherry juice concentrate because of the | | | | anthocyanins, which gives fruits, plants and |
| lack of water has ten times more Melatonin. | | | | vegetables their colour. |
| Among the many forms of antioxidants, the | | | | SOD Compounds: Very few foods contain SOD |
| hormone melatonin is the most potent favouring | | | | (super oxide dismutase). These unique properties |
| over vitamins A, E and C because of its ability to | | | | serve the body as scavengers in their search and |
| enter certain cells other vitamins cannot. Melatonin | | | | destroy method of eradicating the free radical |
| is soluble in both water and fat which means it | | | | enemy throughout the body. |
| can enter the lipid or aqueous part of a cell. | | | | When comparing the similar qualities that are |
| Vitamin C on the other hand enters only the | | | | evident in the cherry fruit and the Aloe Vera |
| aqueous part while vitamin E enters the lipid part | | | | plant, it's not any given ingredient that makes |
| of a cell. | | | | them unique. It's the combination of all their |
| Eating them will simply supply the body with a high | | | | properties and how they function together within |
| concentrate of natural melatonin therefore | | | | the plant itself that creates the perfect |
| increasing the antioxidant capacity in our bodies. | | | | partnership when absorbed into the human body. |
| Adding Cherries to Ground Meat | | | | And breaking down the plant and dispersing these |
| Adding fruit to ground meat is an unusual | | | | compounds one can only assume that soon, an |
| approach to preventing mutagen formation | | | | array of cherry based products will be available. |
| however, Dr. Alden Booren, professor of Food | | | | Common sense however indicates that cherry |
| Science and Human Nutrition compared the adding | | | | extract concentrate juice and the simple cherry |
| of tart cherries to other antioxidants added. Their | | | | itself would be the wisest choice. |
| discovery gave way to amazing results. Adding | | | | Kellie Hastings copyright 2007 |
| tart cherries during cooking reduced the formation | | | | Resources: |
| of mutagenic compounds in ground beef by a | | | | Cherry Marketing Institute |
| startling 90%. Not only does this discovery break | | | | [ Of Journal of American Chemical Society. |
| new ground, the tart cherry is found to be the | | | | Burkhardt-Montmorency tart cherries. |
| most valuable source for preventing mutagen | | | | |