The unfortunate thing about them fresh fruit is it is very perishable so it is only available in the stores for a very short period of time during the summer harvest months.  That is why many are taking the other forms of this powerful fruit for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
In addition the different forms offer different health benefits. For example below is a chart comparing the melatonin amount in a variety of the products:
Tart Cherry Products and Melatonin:

Cherry Products Melatonin Levels
Fresh Tart Cherries:   Up to 13.5 nanograms (ng) of Melatonin per gram
Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate: Has up to 10 times more the Melatonin per gram when compared to the raw fruit.
Tart Cherry Powder 137+ ng per gram
* Result conducted by Dr. Russell Reiter – *Cherry powder is used to make tart cherry capsules

As you can see the tart cherry powder delivers the most amount of naturally occurring melatonin per serving. So if you are looking the most amount of melatonin the powder is your best option. In fact, it is the tart cherry powder that is used the make the Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry Joint Formula. In addition the capsules are even shipped free of charge.

These antioxidants help the body to fight free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that attack healthy molecules and steal the oxygen molecule, thus making healthy cell an unhealthy cell. Free radicals can cause extremely harm to the body and the health of an individual.

Drinking a glass of cherry juice concentrate (1 oz. mixed with 7 oz. of water) makes a 100% pure glass of the drink. Each glass delivers over 3,000 ORAC. According to dietitians, a person should consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day to fight the damaging affects of free radicals. That is simply one reason why people are drinking tart cherry juice everyday.

An antioxidant may possibly be defined as many substances such as but not limited to beta-carotene, melatonin, potassium and vitamin C.

These may possibly fight oxidation encouraged by free radicals. Antioxidants could possibly assist to defend the body from the effects of damaging free radicals.

A number of research studies have repeatedly shown that consuming high amounts of powerful antioxidants may help to preserve a healthy body. In the post, I’ll be sharing some of the health properties of tart cherries including the presence of antioxidants and anthocyanins.

So what precisely is free radical?

Free radicals can be defined as unstable molecules that have lost an oxygen molecule. Fundamentally, these unsteady molecules steal oxygen molecules from healthy cells. An real world example of the oxidation process  on healthy cells is the browning of a freshly cut apple or potato.

If you have ever noticed that after you cut an apple or a potato, the freshly cut potato or apple starts to turn brown. What you are witnessing are the affects of free radicals on the healthy cells. Some people like to call this “cellular rust”. This “rusting” of the healthy cells may well perhaps be comparable to what occurs in the body. Antioxidants aid the body to fight these free radicals. In addition, the term free radical is also associated with the term ORAC? So you may have also heard of the term ORAC.

The ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capability) measures the total antioxidant value of foods that are measured with this measurement. The ORAC value indicates how many radicals a certain food can absorb and deactivate. So the greater the ORAC value, the considerably more free radicals a food can absorb. Thus, the greater the score of the food being tested, the better its antioxidant capability is.

According to some nutrition specialists, it is estimated an individual should consumption of 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units every day to reach optimal oxygen capacity in the blood.

What are Anthocyanins?

In addition to heard about antioxidants and cherries, you may also hear about the term Anthocyanins. This is an antioxidant also found in the tart cherry. If a fruit or vegetable has color, then Anthocyanins are present. Fruit such are blueberries, cherries, strawberries, apples, and red raspberries all have Anthocyanins present. Anthocyanins are also the phytochemicals that are responsible for changing the colors of the leaves throughout the Autumn months. 

To date, over 300 distinct sorts of Anthocyanins have been identified and they have been the study of a number of botanists due to their phytoprotective capabilities. Anthocyanins belong to a single class of flavonoids. The class of flavonoids also include a number of numerous sub classes such as flavones and flavonols to name a few. According to research, the various classes of flavonoids supply different oxidations states.

What are the Health Properties of Tart Cherries?

Basically, the tart cherry does offer a number of health benefits including maintaining healthy joints*, maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system* and is a natural source of melatonin. To receive a free copy of the Tart Cherry Health Report explaining these natural benefits, visit Traverse Bay Farms for cherry juice and more.

Plus, thanks to food research technology, a number of the world’s leading food research universities and organizations have studied the tart cherry. Quite a few of them have published research studies on an entire range of benefits. The most encouraging sign of the growing popularity of the this stone fruit is this research is being funded by both USDA grants (United States Department of Agricultural), public funds and private organizations. This means a number ground breaking research results on any number of positive health benefits are probably in the near future.

The reason for this special post is to introduce you to the wellness benefits and free radical fighting properties of the tart cherry. Ongoing research from leading medical universities and analysis organizations suggests tart cherries may:

• Provide the body with high levels of ORAC units
• Maintain a healthy cardiovascular system*
• Help maintain healthy sleep patterns*
• Help maintain healthy joint function*

Similar to other foods, tart cherries are a natural source of naturally occurring antioxidants. Nonetheless, thanks to the unique makeup and combination of the antioxidants discovered in Montmorency cherries it is what makes the tart cherry so special. According to research, tart cherries are a good source of beta carotene, melatonin, fiber, potassium, anthocyanins and more.

Also, when reviewing the Montmorency cherry to other sorts of fruit, it offers rather fantastic nutrient values. For example, according to the USDA National Database on Food Nutrition, the frozen tart cherries are higher in beta carotene than the frozen strawberries and the frozen blueberries. In addition, you can find this fruit in a number of different varieties including cherry juice, dried cherries and even in a cherry capsule format.

In reality, the Montmorency tart cherry has traveled the globe from Asia-Minor to Europe and finally brought to the new world by the early pilgrims in 1600′s.

The tart cherry has pleasured the tastebuds of people for countless centuries. This little ruby-red stone fruit offering a tart yet tangy taste has won it a location on the tables of Roman conquerors, Chinese nobleman and Greek citizens alike.

After arriving in the New World, the tart cherry quickly spread across the country. Ultimately, the fruit ended up being grown commercially in various states including New York, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In fact, one region that is an area in Michigan has earned the title “Cherry Capital of the World”.  The largest city in this area is known as Traverse City. This region of Northwestern Lower Michigan produces approximately 70% of U.S. tart cherry production.

The Person Credited for Planting the First Tart Cherry Tree

The pioneer who is widely credited to carrying the tart cherry to Michigan is Mr. Peter Dougherty.

In 1852, Mr. Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary planted the very first tart cherry tree on Old Mission Peninsula. This unique peninsula is near Traverse City, Michigan. After his very first trees were effective, several of his neighbors also began planting cherry crops and the 1st official commercial tart cherry orchards in Michigan had been planted in 1893 on Ridgewood Farm on Old Mission Peninsula. In reality, this 1st commercial farm was incredibly near the actual site of Dougherty’s original trees.

By the early 1900s, the Michigan cherry industry was quickly spreading from Old Mission Peninsula to a number of surrounding cities and towns up-n-down the Lake Michigan coastline. These areas include Traverse City, Central Lake, Benton Harbor and Elk Rapids.

The very first tart cherry processing building was called Traverse City Canning Enterprise and was built just south of Traverse City. Once harvested and processed, the cherry was soon shipped to major cities across America including Detroit, Chicago and Milwaukee.

Since it’s first harvest and as the years passed, the cherry has offered a number of cherry-based products including the fresh fruit, dried cherries, cherry juice and more.

Tart cherries

Tart cherry juice has been popularity over the past several years due to scientific research results continuously being published about the natural health benefits of the tart cherry juice.

Here is a brief overview of some of the research published about the benefits of cherry juice:

According to research conducted at the University of Vermont, a tart cherry juice blend, used in the study, helped soothe muscle soreness due to physical exercise.*

Research results from the Michigan State University (MSU) has found that a person eating 20 tart cherries a day could realize the antioxidant and/or health benefits of the tart cherry.

Dr. Russel Reiter, professor of neuroendocrinlogy at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Antonio, TX has conducted research on the tart cherry and Melatoin. Based upon these research results, tart cherries are found to be a natural source of Melatonin. Since Melatonin helps regulate the body’s natural clock, tart cherries may help many get more restful sleep.*

In addition to tart cherry juice, tart cherry capsules are an ideal alternative to drinking the cherry juice. Tart cherry capsules have less sugar per serving than tart cherry juice and offer the specific antioxidants of the tart cherry in a convenient, easy-to-swallow capsule. Click Here to learn more about tart cherry juice