|
 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||
For more nutritional and health information go to: www.choosecherries.com
|
|
Nutritional Information About Melatonin Melatonin in produced naturally in the body in the pneal gland at the base of the brain.It controls sleepiness at night, wakefulness in daytime and functions as an antioxidant to help the body destroy free radicals, which can cause cancer and other diseases. Melatonin Found in Tart Cherries Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio has shown that Montmorency tart cherries contain significant quantities of melatonin, a powerful antioxidant. Dr Russel Reiter with the University of Texas who has been studying melatonin for more than 30 years was surprised to find melatonin in tart cherries. "Tart cherres, specifically the Montmorency variety, contain an extremely significant quanity of melatonin, enough to produce positive results in the body," says Dr. Reiter. Montmorency cherries, which account for the majority of tart cherries produced in the United States, contain up to 13.5 nanograms (ng) of melatonin per gram of cherries, more than is normally found in the blood. Clinical trials on the healthful effects of tart cherries are underway at the University of Texas. Results of the linical trials could verify the overwhelming anecdotal information on the pain relief provided by cherries. What is an Antioxidant? Oxygen is an important component of the air we breathe. We couldn't survive without it. But, oxygen can also be a source of free radicals or unstable oxygen molecules associated with cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. Luckily, antioxidants can counter these damaging free radicals. Thousands of studies spanning decades of research consistently and repeatedly show that maintaining a high antioxidant defense system lowers a person's risk for disease, stimulates the immune system, protects brain neurons from damage, and helps slow the aging process. Oxidative stress associated with disease occurs when oxidative damage exceeds our antioxidant defenses. That antioxidant system depends on the food we eat. Antioxidants Cherries are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, they have among the highest levels of antioxidants - containing about the same as blueberries. Antioxidant strength is measured in Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) units. ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate. The more oxygen radicals a food absorbs, the higher its ORAC score. The higher the ORAC score, the better a food is at helping our bodies fight diseases like cancer and heart disease. Nutritionists suggest that people consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day to have an impact on their health. Just one ounce of cherry juice concentrate supplies 3,622 ORAC units, about an entire day's recommendation. Antioxidant Levels of Cherries
Information provided by:
PO Box 30285 Lansing, MI 48909 www.usacherries.com |
|
Visit us at the Pasco, Richland, and Moses Lake Farmer's Market
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
||||||
|
ROWLEY & HAWKINS FRUIT FARMS Questions? Please contact us and we'll be glad to help. |
||||||
|
||||||
