Eat Tart Cherries for a Healthy Beating Heart
Researchers from the University of Michigan at an Experimental Biology annual meeting (San Diego) declared that tart cherries are healthy for the heart. The study, which was carried out on rats, reported that tart cherries can protect one’s heart from conditions like diabetes and heart strokes, attacks, etc.
Parameters of the Michigan Study
About 48 rats which were more likely to become obese were studied. The sampled rats were fed with a cherry-filled diet which was well complemented with calories and carbohydrates for about 90 days. The rats were tested for the following:
- Glucose levels
- Cholesterol levels
- Triglyceride levels
- Weight and fat storage
- TNF-alpha
- Interlukin-6
Researchers called the results “delicious” and said that it was amazing to confirm the role of inflammation, obesity, blood lipids, and body compositions in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Results of the study
The study revealed the following:
- Rats who were fed with tart cherries reported – lower weight, lesser fat mass, lesser IL-6 levels, less cholesterol, fewer triglycerides, less TNF-alpha levels
- TNF-alpha reduced in lean (by 50%) and obese rats (by 40%)
- IL-6 also dropped in lean (by 38%) and obese rats (by 31%)
- Cherries-fed rats also showed a reduction in retroperitoneal fat, which is one kind of abdomen fat responsible for triggering cardiovascular diseases and inflammation
E. Mitchell Seymour, a senior scientist of the study also confirmed that colorful fruits like cherries were helpful in preventing deaths caused due to heart diseases.