Cherries for gout!

Seeing as it is cherry season and I have already posted Cherries as a summer fruit spotlight, I recently came across the use of cherry juice specifically for gout. Curious, I did some research and here’s what I learned: 

First, what is gout? Gout is a form of arthritis usually focused in a joint. It is caused by too much uric acid in the blood which forms hard crystals in joints. Not everyone with high levels of uric acid suffers from gout but if you have experienced several of the following symptoms gout may be your issue: “The most common sign of gout is a nighttime attack of swelling, tenderness, redness, and sharp pain in your big toe. You can also get gout attacks in your foot, ankle, or knees. The attacks can last a few days or many weeks before the pain goes away. Another attack may not happen for months or years.” (WebMD). Chances of suffering from gout increase if you are overweight, drink too much alcohol, or eat too much meat and fish that are high in chemicals called purines. Some medicines, such as water pills (diuretics), can also bring on gout.

Second, why cherries? You have heard that eating a variety of food colors is good for your health. This is because the color of the food is representative of its properties. Cherries are red from the antioxidant anthocyanins (also found in berries such as blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, also in red cabbage, eggplant peel and less abundant in banana, asparagus, fennel, peas, pears, and potatoes). In general, anthocyanins help reduce inflammation (a natural form of aspirin – great for arthritis!), fight free-radicals which help against cancer, stroke risk and heart attacks. Specifically in cherries, these anthocyanins have an uric-acid reducing effect. Uric-acid is the cause of gout pain. A study at the UC Davis showed that consuming a serving of cherries daily significantly lowered the blood uric acid levels of women by as much as 15 percent, and while the participants in the study were given fresh cherries to eat, a serving of dried cherries or cherry juice can have just as significant an impact (see references). These studies show that it does not matter the type (black, tart, red) of dark cherry or the form (the more raw the better in my opinion; it must be natural however, a cherry jolly rancher candy doesn’t count). But as with everything, people’s bodies are different therefore different amounts over different periods of times should be experimented with. In generally two tablespoons juice or two servings of fresh cherries over a few days to a week should improve gout pain.

Information from:

Joint-Pain.com

WebMD