Which Cherry Juice Is Best
Many different types of cherries and juices are available, which might make you wonder if one is superior over the others, or if juice is better than whole cherries. While more research is needed in this realm before making specific recommendations, tart cherry juice and tart cherries are commonly used in studies examining gout relief strategies. The Arthritis Foundation suggests tart cherries, such as Montmorency cherries, and tart cherry juice may be the best options. Cherry extract is also available and appears to be effective for gout flare-up reduction. The Arthritis Foundation says taking 1 tablespoon of tart cherry extract two times daily for four months reduced gout flares by 50 percent in one study.
Will Tart Cherry Juice Help Alone Or Should You Consult A Doctor
If you have gout, it is always prudent and wise to visit a doctor. Your doctor will ask you questions about your lifestyle, food consumption, and symptoms to make the diagnosis. You will also be asked to go in for a blood test in order to ascertain the blood uric acid levels in your body. Once diagnosed, you could be asked to modify your diet, have medicines and use hot and cold compressions. If your doctor has asked you to strictly modify your diet, consuming tart cherry juice alone will not help relieve you of your symptoms. The ideal thing would be to consume tart cherry juice daily along with a treatment plan from your doctor. It will help to reduce the blood uric acid levels and inflammation in the joints.
How To Prevent Gout Attacks
To prevent gout attacks, limit your consumption of sugars.
Drink plenty of fluids, with water being your best choice.
Do your best to control emotional and physical stress, as this can cause your flare-ups to be even more severe, and consult your personal physician to help control the pain and keep your condition from worsening.
Treatments for gout have advanced over the years, including the development of allopurinol, a drug to prevent attacks. Speak with your orthopedic surgeon or personal physician about possible pharmaceuticals for gout. Many people with gout suffer from multiple conditions and medication interactions and side-effects should be considered.
Thankfully, there is a natural remedy for the symptoms of gout available, as well.
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What Are The Potential Side Effects
Unless youre allergic to cherries, its unlikely that youll have an adverse reaction. However, its important to eat everything in moderation and cherries are no exception. Its possible to have diarrhea if you drink too much cherry juice or eat too many cherries.
How much is too much cherry juice? Thats hard to say, as it depends on your own digestive system. As mentioned, one glass a day should be enough to treat gout without producing any side effects. If you have any adverse reactions, make a note of them and speak to a healthcare provider about it.
If you want to add more cherries into your diet, you can do so in a number of different ways. You can:
- drink tart cherry juice
- add cherries to yogurt or fruit salad
- blend cherries or cherry juice up in a smoothie
Where Did The Story Come From
The study was carried out by researchers from the UK and South Africa, and was part funded by Northumbria University and the Cherry Marketing Institute. The latter is a non-profit organisation, funded by cherry growers, with a brief to promote the alleged health benefits of tart cherries.
This obviously represents a potential conflict of interest, although the research paper says, The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Functional Foods.
The Mail on Sundays coverage over-extrapolates the findings of this small study involving healthy people, not gout sufferers. While it is plausible that cherry juice may be of some benefit to people affected by gout, this is currently unproven.
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Antioxidants Credited For Cherries’ Effect In Gout
The researchers credit anthocyanins — antioxidant pigments found in red and purplish fruits and vegetables, including cherries, purple cabbage, beets, blueberries, raspberries, and purple grapes — for the beneficial effect. Antioxidants stabilize unstable molecules called free radicals, which cause inflammation and damage cells and tissue.
Senior researcher Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, says that while the researchers plan to look at other fruits, “our suspicion is that it is an effect of cherries, which are thought to contain the highest levels of anthocyanins.”
John S. Sundy, MD, PhD, a gout expert at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., tells WebMD that a lot of his patients have tried cherries. “It helps some and not others.
“I don’t prescribe it and we don’t know what dose to recommend. But as long as it’s used as a complement and not an alternative to recommended treatments, it’s hard to imagine any downside to it,” says Sundy, who was not involved with the research.
The researchers hope to get funding for a more robust clinical trial in which some people with gout eat cherries and others do not.
This study was presented at a medical conference. The findings should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the “peer review” process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
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Tart Cherry Juice For Gout
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is caused when there is a deposition of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid gets deposited as crystals in the joints, leading to sudden inflammation and pain. The areas where gout commonly occurs are around the joints of the ankle, big toe, and knee. According to the Arthritis Foundation, approximately 6 million American men, as well as 2 million American women, suffer from this condition. Tart cherry juice is attributed to help reduce gout-related pain.
According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Functional Foods, a team of British researchers stated that drinking Montmorency tart juice helped decline blood levels of gout-producing uric acid and raise certain anthocyanin compounds in the bloodstream. Anthocyanins are antioxidants that are not only responsible for the color of the fruit but also to reduce any kind of inflammation in the body, which is vital in the treatment of gout.
A study published by a team of researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine in the Arthritis and Rheumatology Journal noted that when 633 people were administered with cherries over a two-day period, there was nearly a 35% reduced risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. This goes to show that when cherries are consumed in any form, which is as a whole or as a tart cherry extract or supplement, there will be a reduction in gout pain.
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Will Tart Cherry Juice Really Soothe Gout Pain
People who have had one episode of gout are usually anxious to learn how they can avoid another attack. The pain is so intense that even the light touch of a sheet on the affected joint may be unbearable. Doctors often tell such sufferers to avoid beer and other alcohol, stick to low-fat dairy products and cut back on seafood and red meat. Beverages with high-fructose corn syrup cause trouble. Many people insist that drinking tart cherry juice can soothe gout pain.
Recommended Amounts Of Cherries For Gout And Cherry Juice For Gout
While research recommends consuming one daily serving of cherries or cherry juice for gout relief, it is important to realize that not all cherries or cherry products are created equal! You will want to pay close attention to the amount of antioxidants contained in each serving of cherries, dried cherries, cherry juice and cherry concentrate for gout relief. Antioxidants are measured by a process called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC this basically tells you the antioxidant capacity of various foods. Nutritionists and Dieticians recommend consuming between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC units every day. When applying this knowledge to cherries and gout relief, consider the following:
- 3 ounces of Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate contains 12,800 units of ORAC
- 1/4 cup of Dried Cherries contain roughly 3,000 units of ORAC
- 1/2 cup of Frozen Cherries contains roughly 2,000 ORAC units.
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The Powerful Effects Of Cherries
We can choose the best cherry on the anthocyanin content that it has. The anthocyanin amount is the criteria to choose the cherry for you. It is because anthocyanin gives cherry its power.
Anthocyanin is the pigment that gives the leaves and the fruits their red color. That is why, when you choose for the best cherry, you should pick the reddest cherries. It is because the reddest has the higher amounts of anthocyanin.
And Tart Cherries is the best cherry juice for your gout symptoms. Compared to tart cherry, Sweet and black cherries have lower amounts of anthocyanin. And now, you might ask, What can the Cherry juice do for Gout?
Similar to allopurinol, anthocyanin can act as xanthine oxidase inhibitor. This can lower the amount of uric acid in the body temporarily. Anthocyanin also has anti-inflammatory effects that make it effective against the gout symptoms.
The sad thing is that only 5% of anthocyanin can enter the bloodstream of the body. Imagine if there are 20 cherries that contains 25mg of anthocyanin and only 1.5mg can be used by the body. In addition, if you add cherry juice to your medications, it can only make your medications useless. It is because anthocyanin restrains an enzyme that that is responsible to clear the drugs in the body.
Cherry Juice For Gout
Gout is a chronic form of inflammatory arthritis caused by the build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints and tissues , causing severe pain, redness, and tenderness. Traditional treatment often includes medications, self-care, as well as avoiding trigger foods.
With the small number of participants in these few studies and the short-term follow-up, along with the mixed results, larger long-term studies are warranted to clarify the effects of tart cherry juice in people with gout.
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How Cherries Help Fight Arthritis
How Cherries Help Fight Arthritis
In a study of 633 participants, Boston University Medical Center researchers found that eating at least 10 cherries a day protected people with existing gout from recurrent attacks.In that study, drinking Montmorency tart juice reduced blood levels of gout-causing uric acid and increased specific anthocyanin compounds in the bloodstream.If cherries prove effective in large trials, they could provide a safe, nonpharmacological option for preventing recurrent gout attacks..In a 2013 article inOsteoarthritis and Cartilage, researchers at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center reported that patients who consumed two 8-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice daily for 6 weeks experienced a significant improvement in pain, stiffness and physical function.Study participants also showed a marked decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein , a marker of inflammation Each bottle of juice equaled about 45 cherries.In a 2007 pilot study at the Baylor Research Institute in Dallas, Texas, more than half of 20 enrolled patients reported improved pain and function after taking one cherry capsule a day for eight weeks. .
Are There Any Side Effects Of Consuming Cherry Juice Regularly
Cherries are safe for most of the consumers. Still, it is better to maintain a moderate level of consumption. Eating several cherries at a time can result in a condition like diarrhea.
It is good to stick to one glass of cherry juice every day to treat gout. There will be no side effects.
You can include other fruits in your juice. However, it is essential to make sure that they will not intensify your gout symptoms. Moreover, while eating other foods throughout the day, you have to choose ones with low purine content.
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What Is Best For You
It is a common question. And we understand that you only want what you think is best for you. We do not want to be deceived by other people by thinking we have the best kinds when we dont. But, what does it really mean to be the best? More importantly, what best are we talking about?
Let us try to define it. Best is when it is better than the other contenders. But, does it also mean that it is a good idea? Let us try and think of this scenario, three men jump from a high building. The first man jump from the 100th floor. The second man jump from the 200th floor. And the third man jumps from the 300th floor. For you, which is the best suicide choice? Although all of them will surely die, the man who jumps from the 100th building is much faster compared to the two. But, we do not recommend you to try it.
Let us get back to the cherry juice. The best cherry juice for the gout symptoms does not mean the cherry juice is very effective. We will not discuss if the cherry juice is effective for gout. But, you can read the effects of cherry juice on gout symptoms.
What Is The Theory Behind It
Cherries contain anthocyanins, which are the compounds that give cherries their color.
One 2019 article notes that anthocyanins possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may be useful when treating the symptoms of gout.
The article states that oxidative stress can play a role in the manifestation of gout. Oxidative stress is the imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in the body.
Anthocyanins interfere with the oxidation process and remove free radicals.
Montmorency tart cherry skins contain high amounts of antioxidants. Tart cherry juice concentrate appears to be effective at absorbing free radicals.
Although the symptoms of gout occur due to an inflammatory response, existing research into whether or not the anti-inflammatory effects of cherry juice are effective in treating gout appears to be limited.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Gout
Gout flares usually happen without warning and can last for weeks. While it usually affects the big toe joint, a persons ankle, knee or lesser joint can be affected as well.
Those who have gout are likely to experience an uncomfortable eb and flow of common symptoms which include things like:
- Intense pain in the affected joint
- Extreme swelling
- Low grade fever
- Loss of appetite
Repeated, untreated gout flares eventually lead to gouty arthritis, a much more painful and more severe form of arthritis that worsens over time.
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How Does Cherry Juice Treat Gout
Cherry juice treats gout flare-ups by reducing the level of uric acid in the body. Since uric acid buildup is what causes gout, it only goes to reason that cherry juice could prevent or treat gout flare-ups.
A 2011 study noted that 100 percent tart cherry juice significantly reduced the level of serum uric acid levels in participants who drank 8 ounces of the juice every day for four weeks.
Its not only cherry juice that could lower uric acid levels cherry juice concentrate can also be beneficial for those with gout.
A 2012 pilot study found that consuming cherry juice concentrate lowered the levels of uric acid in the body. One portion of the study demonstrated that cherry extract was more effective than pomegranate concentrate at lowering uric acid levels.
A retrospective portion of the study found that when consumed for a four-month period or longer, cherry juice concentrate reduced gout flare-ups significantly.
An online survey directed at people with gout also suggested cherry intake can improve symptoms. Of the survey respondents, 43 percent said that they used cherry extract or juice to treat their gout symptoms. The survey found that those who used cherry supplements reported significantly fewer flare-ups.
Of course, this study is limited because it relies on the subjects to report their own symptoms. Even so, the results are promising.
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Why Use Tart Cherry Juice For Gout
Sour or tart cherry juice is useful for warding off the pain caused by gout. This is because it is rich in phenolic compounds like anthocyanins, which soothe the swelling associated with gout.
Gout occurs due to serum uric acid accumulation and deposition of uric acid crystals in the tissues and joints of your body. This deposit of uric acid causes intense pain, tenderness, inflammation, heat, and redness. Gout, in this way, impacts 8.3 million Americans, on average.
Generally, the uric acid produced remains soluble until it is filtered and excreted in the urine. Excessive uric acid, however, leads to a condition called hyperuricemia, which occurs in gout.
In a 12-week, placebo-controlled research, it was found that daily consumption of tart cherry juice is known to reduce SUA concentration by 19.2 percent in overweight and obese individuals.
This reduction, in turn, decreases the chances of gout arthritis and other chronic conditions caused by inflammation.
Further, the lowering of uric acid and decrease in swelling can also reduce the frequency and intensity of gout attacks. Gout flare-ups can be controlled using tart cherry juice.
Another study in 2011marked reductions in inflammatory biomarkers when gout patients took tart cherry juice. 100% tart cherry juice concentrate reduced serum uric acid levels in patients who consumed 8 ounces every day for four weeks.
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How To Consume Cherries
Now the biggest question of them all. How should you consume cherries? The best option is to eat them fresh. Of course, this isnt always possible, so dried cherries are a great alternative as well. In essence, any form of cherries is beneficial and should be taken into consideration. You can also drink cherry juice or use the powder made out of this fruit. The amount isnt specifically determined, but as I have mentioned there is no limit.
One of more specific matters, I must explain is how to use cherries to treat a gout flare up. First of all, it is possible and you should try this method. I tried it several times and it actually worked. The first thing you should know is that during the gout attack, you should consume cherries. It is ideal if you can eat 20-30 of them at once and then make a break. Wait for one hour and then eat the same amount again. Do this several times during the attack and you will notice the improvement. Sadly it isnt the quickest alternative out there, but it is one of the safest and one that actually works.
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