12/23/2015 / By Vicki Batts
Cherries may not only be tasty, they may help fight and prevent colon cancer too! The compounds, called flavonoids, that give cherries their rich red color are powerful antioxidants that are unique to the fruit.
Tart cherries boast a wide array of these flavonoids like genistein and quercetin, which are known to help detox the body and remove free radicals. A special type of anthocyanins found only in tart cherries may be where the key to their cancer fighting power lies. This type of anthocyanin is only found in cherries, and not any other red fruit.
At Johns Hopkins Hospital, researchers were able to use an animal model to show how the anthocyanin in tart cherries acted similarly to anti-inflammatory drugs in the body. In addition to fighting cancer, cherries are also known reduce muscle pain after exercise and symtpoms of gout.
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