Cherries have plenty of health benefits
Since the health benefits of Montmorency cherries has been revealed to the public - sales of cherry juice have more than doubled.
Northumbria University research revealed that volunteers who drank tart Montmorency cherry juice received a significant boost to their levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.
On average, their total sleep time increased by 25 minutes and their "sleep efficiency", a global measure of sleep quality, increased by five to six per cent.
The team at London-based Cherrygood has been working round the clock to ensure the nation’s supermarkets and other stockists can replenish supplies as quickly as they are selling out.
Meanwhile, a pioneering new specialist factual series, The Food Hospital on Channel 4 is examining the science behind using food as medicine.
In an experiment conducted with strict scientific rigour, patients suffering from insomnia were invited to attend The Food Hospital where they were prescribed Montmorency cherry juice or warm milk to find out if their sleep problems can be alleviated or cured by the food they eat.
John Heseltine, the founder of Cherrygood, said: “Sales have quite simply gone through the roof in the past month following all the research into the many health benefits of Montmorency cherries.
CHERRY FACTS
• A glass of tart cherry juice contains more antioxidants than five portions of banana, tomatoes, watermelon, peas and carrots. Antioxidants are vital to helping the body to fight free radicals.
• Cherries contain 19 times more beta-carotene than blueberries or strawberries along with Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron and folate.
• Maintaining antioxidant levels boosts the cardiovascular system and the immune system as well as helping to slow the ageing process.
• Anti-inflammatory properties – tart cherries have been shown to significantly reduce muscle pain following rigorous exercise
• Sleep benefits – tart cherries are one of the very few known food sources of melatonin, crucial to the maintenance of regular sleep patterns
• Skin booster – cherry juice is rich in vitamin A and its antibacterial properties remove toxins from the blood and fight bacteria trapped under the skin
• Reduce gout – cherry juice is well known for its ability to help lower blood uric-acid levels and reduce gout pain
• Heart friendly - emerging studies suggest tart Montmorency cherries may also offer protection against heart disease
Tagged in Health Super Food