Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Red Wonder
Take two tart cherries and call me in the morning. While your doc may not say that yet, she might soon: A new animal study from University of Michigan shows that consuming a powdered version of tart cherries can lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as decrease the body's ability to store fat in the liver. It's not yet known if cherry-rich diets will have a similar effect on people, but University of Michigan researchers are hopeful.Shopping shortcut: Tart and sour cherries are the same thing; they come dried, frozen, canned, or in juice form.
Make it even healthier: Sprinkle the dried variety on cereal or salad, or use cherry juice to oomph up your a.m. smoothie.
Bonus benefits: People who exercised and drank two 12-ounce glasses of tart cherry juice daily for eight days reported less muscle pain than those who sipped a placebo, finds a 2006 study.
Labels: Diet Tips
