In the Spotlight - Cherries

As cherries come into season this month, now seems as good a time as any to explore the humble cherry's potential role in pain relief. If you do a double-take on reading that statement, I don't blame you, as the prospect that a fruit might be able to rival the likes of aspirin and ibuprofen seems quite unlikely and something that I only recently read about myself. However, it's an interesting thought, as common painkillers have had bad press over the years - it has been known for some time that aspirin can cause inflammation and bleeding of the stomach and that ibuprofen is linked to an increased risk of experiencing a heart attack - so other alternatives would be welcome.

So what is so special about cherries? It is the so-called tart cherries which are of interest. Like other  berries they are packed with anthocyanins, which are responsible for their dark colour. However, tart cherries contain a variety of anthocyanins that don't occur in the other fruits and it is these which are thought to be their beneficial component. The mode of action of these anthocyanins is suggested to be through their antioxidant activity, which is thought to reduce the stress generated by inflammation. Initial positive results were seen with animal studies - one at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore demonstrated that sour cherries reduced inflammation as effectively as that obtained by use of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - the same group of drugs that aspirin and ibuprofen belong to. However, promising results have also been seen in trials involving patients. In a study of patients with arthritis at the Baylor Research Institute, over half of them found a reduction in pain and improved functional ability after taking tablets containing cherry extract for an 8 week period. A role for cherries in reducing muscle pain and damage after strenuous exercise has also been identified - long-distance runners who drank cherry juice twice daily for 7 days prior to an event experienced significantly less pain.

However, before you get excited and rush out to stock up on cherries or scour the internet to buy cherry extract, more research is required into this area. Little is currently known about how many cherries you would need to eat daily - though various internet sites suggest 20 cherries can provide pain relief, but do not provide a link to any studies. Plus like a lot of treatments, it will be of more benefit to some than others. While the jury might still be out, that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy cherries till they make their mind up - even if cherries don't get the thumbs up for pain relief, you'll be having a tasty and nutritious snack.

Searching for cherry recipes tends to throw up a lot for desserts and sweet treats. However, for a lighter option, add to a fruit salad, set in a jelly or scatter on your cereal.

Picture by Nova