Cherries
Cerasus
 Historians
believe that cherries date from prehistoric times in
Asia. It is believed that Chinese warrior-farmers
living in the northwestern highlands of Shensi 'in 600
BCE' feasted on cherries and plums as their summer
dessert.
Pliny, the Elder (AD 23-79), That fine roman lower of
the natural word, tells us that there were no
cherry-trees in Italy until 74 BC, but that in the
following 120 years, they crossed the ocean and 'spread
as far as Britain.' Defining the different trees, he
mentions the Lusitanian cherry, the Macedonian cherry
and the Junian cherry.
In America the Chokecherry was growing in North America
long before the Europeans arrived and was used for food
and medicine by the Native Americans. The wild
Chokecherry eventually became and important ingredient
in the famous Smith Brothers cough drops.
When European colonists began journeying to the New
World in the 17th century, about two dozen different
varieties of cherries had been developed by the English
who then brought these enticingly sweet fruits to New
England. French settlers from Normandy arrived in the
Midwest in cities like Detroit; they planted cherry pits
that they brought to the New World. Soon cherry trees
held a prominent place in their gardens along the Saint
Lawrence River and the Great Lakes area.
Michigan State University, Medical College of Ohio, and
University of Iowa have been researching the benefits of
cherries and they have found that they are known to
reduce the pain of arthritis, gout and headaches. The
anthocyanins and antioxidants in cherries are amazing.
The red pigments in cherries contain natural
anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are anti-inflammatory pain
relievers 10 times stronger than aspirin or ibuprofen.
They help shut down the enzymes that cause tissue
inflammation in the first place. Cherries have a
positive effect on kidney stones, gallbladder ailments,
tooth decay, preventing varicose veins, reducing
cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attack, helping
with sleep, reduce risk of cancer 50%, reduce
inflammation, and reduce headaches.
Eight years ago the
cherry growers began to cite the above research.
Immediately the FDA came down hard on 29 of them,
threatening legal action if they didn't remove the
scientific evidence about cherries from their Web sites.
The FDA warned that it's a violation of federal law to tout the
fruit's health powers to help market cherry products.
The FDA recently sent a letter to 29 businesses warning
that the health benefits of cherries and other fruits
cannot be touted in written marketing.
At the very same time the FDA was harassing cherry
farmers, the agency was approving the heart-stopping
drug
Vioxx,
which was
pulled from the American market
in 2004. Think about that -- truthful studies about
cherries could not be referred to, but deadly and
dangerous drugs could be advertised everywhere.
Eating about 20 tart cherries per day could reduce
inflammatory pain and benefit the consumer with
antioxidant protection. Twenty tart cherries contain 12
to 25 milligrams of active antioxidant compounds. 1/4
cup of dried tart cherries counts as one of the five
servings of fruits and vegetables per day the National
Cancer Institute recommends to help maintain your
health.
National Cherry Growers & Industries Foundation,
Date posted: 2/1/1999. Source:
American Chemical Society,
2667 Reed Road, Hood
River, OR 97231.
Benefits of Cherries Research, Michigan State
University, 1999
Cherries Shut Down the Growth of Cancer Cells , Raymond
Hohl, M.D., at the University of Iowa in Iowa City
The Juicing Book by Stephen Blauer, Avery Publishing Group Inc., NY, 1989
Juice Fasting and Detoxification, Steve Meyerowitz, Dist. Book Pub. Co. 2002
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