secret of tart cherry juice revealed
TRANSCRIPT
The Secrets of Tart Cherry Juice
Revealed!
Discover the natural health benefits of the Michigan-grown, Montmorency tart cherry. You’ll be amazed to learn about all of the things this tangy, red fruit can do!
Harold White – Natural Health Consultant
Table of Contents
In the Beginning… ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Cherries in the Modern Era ................................................................................................................................................. 2
What is the Best Cherry? ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
The Sweet Cherry ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
The Montmorency Tart Cherry ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Where are Cherries Grown in the United States? ............................................................................................................ 7
The Cherry Capital of the World ......................................................................................................................................... 8
The Life Cycle of a Montmorency Tart Cherry ............................................................................................................... 10
#1: The Buds .................................................................................................................................................................. 10
#2: The Blossoms ........................................................................................................................................................... 11
#3: The Fresh Fruit ........................................................................................................................................................ 12
4: The Harvest ................................................................................................................................................................ 12
#5: The Final Products .................................................................................................................................................. 13
How does the Cherry Compare to Other Fruits and Vegetables? ............................................................................... 14
How Much ORAC is Recommend for Daily Consumption? ............................................................................................ 17
The Natural Health Benefits of the Tart Cherry ............................................................................................................. 18
Anthocyanins and Tart Cherries? ..................................................................................................................................... 20
Cherry Juice Can Alleviate Joint Pain Caused Arthritis and Gout? .............................................................................. 21
The Year Round Availability of Cherries .......................................................................................................................... 22
Dried Cherries.................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate .......................................................................................................................................... 23
Type of Cherry that is used to Produce the Juice: .................................................................................................... 23
The Quality of the Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate: .................................................................................................... 24
Taste of the Final Product - Reflected by the Crispness of the Flavor of the Final Product: .............................. 25
Bottling of Cherry Juice: ................................................................................................................................................ 26
Tart Cherry Capsules and Tart Cherry Powder .............................................................................................................. 28
The Final Word .................................................................................................................................................................... 30
In the Beginning…
The tart cherry has been the subject of folklore and old wives tales passed down from generation to
generation. From mothers to daughters, grandfathers to grandsons and the subject of countless
conversations among those suffering from joint pain due to arthritis or gout.
The history of the cherry dates back to the Roman Empire1. According to legend, as the Empire
expanded across Europe and Asia Minor, it was a habit of some of the Roman generals to return to
Rome with native plants and animals from conquered territories. It is believed the cherry was
discovered along the Black Sea region in Asia Minor.
This ruby, red fruit was brought back to Rome and it quick spread across the Empire. The reason was
simple. This unique taste and color of the fruit made it an instant favorite. However, it also served
numerous purposes. The fruit was used to eat and flavor foods. The seeds of the fruit were planted
along Roman roads. As the trees grew, the wood was harvested and used for weapons, firewood and
to build and repair carts and wagons. The cherry eventually made its way to the New World with the
early explorers.
In addition to being used as food and repairing equipment the cherry was reported to also help
relieve pain in the body. Thus, the pain relieving benefits of cherry were discovered and shared for
centuries into the future. However, it wasn’t until the 1950’s when the first peer-reviewed study
published on the pain relieving properties of the cherry2.
Cherries in the Modern Era
In 1950, a letter from Dr. Ludwig Blau was published in the Prevention Magazine.3 The letter from
the good doctor stated that eating a bowl of cherries help to relief his gout pain. Dr. Blau suffered a
severe gout attack and was confined to a wheelchair. One day, while sitting his wheelchair, he ate a
bowl of cherries and the following day the pain caused by the gout was completed gone. He
1 Cherry Juice: Fact or Myth – History of the Tart Cherry and the Ancient World
2 Goutpal.com – Dr. Blau and Tart Cherries
3 Prevention Magazine - 1950
continued to eat cherries daily and not to long afterwards he was able to stand from his wheelchair
without the pain. This experience led him to work with other gout suffering individuals.
According to published research, Dr. Blau conducted research on 12 individuals. He instructed each
to eat ½ pound of cherries or drink the equivalent of cherry juice. It takes one ounce of cherry juice
concentrate to make an 8 oz. glass of juice. The final analysis of the research data points to the fact
the eating cherries or drinking the juice helps to reduce uric acid in the blood. Thus, reducing pain in
caused by gout and uric acid crystals.
In this whitepaper, the author would like to share information and research about the natural health
benefits of the tart cherry.
Photo courtesy of Traverse Bay Farms
What is the Best Cherry?
Did you know there are over 120 different varieties of cherries grown across the globe? Also, three
dozen countries grow cherries including the United States, China, Turkey, Poland, Chile and dozens
more. With all of the different varieties of cherries grown, there are only two types. These types
include sweet cherries, also referred to as black cherries or wild cherries. The tart cherry is often
referred to as the sour cherry.
As you dive into the realm of learning about this fruit, you’ll hear, read or discuss a number of
different words describing the same fruit. So to help reduce confusion, take a peek at the nickname
chart below:
Official Name Scientific Name Commonly Used Nicknames
Tart Cherry Prunus cerasus Sour, pie, red and baking
Sweet Cherry Prunus avium Black, purple, snack and wild
The next time you’re having a conversation about cherries or reading about cherries online, you now
have a better understanding what each nickname or a slang term refers.
The answer to the question, “what is the best cherry?” is it depends on what you want the fruit to do
for you. For example, the black or sweet cherry is commonly enjoyed as a snack. This is the type that
is often found at farmer’s market and in the produce section of your local grocery store during the
cherry harvest.
The Sweet Cherry
Here is what a sweet cherry looks like:
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
As you can see, the cherry itself is black or dark purple in color.
The Montmorency Tart Cherry
The distinctive feature of the tart cherry is the bright red hue. This type of cherry is often used for
baking. In fact, the next time you enjoy a cherry pie, you’ll notice the cherries are bright red. The
reason the tart cherry is used for recipe creation is it is very low in natural sugar. Thus, by adding
this ingredient the chef doesn’t have to worry about it interfering with the recipe or making it to
sweet.
Here is what a Montmorency tart cherry looks like:
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The color of Montmorency variety is much brighter in color. In addition, most of the research
published about the pain relieving properties of cherries is reporting on the anti-inflammatory
benefits of Montmorency tart cherry. This is not say that other studies don’t exist on the sweet
cherry, but the majority of the research that you read about online is the result of the testing on the
Montmorency type.
So when you are reading an article about the pain relieving properties of cherry juice, cherry capsules
or cherry powder, you’ll probably reading about the benefits provided by tart cherries. Unfortunately,
many writers don’t use the term “tart” when describing the benefits of this fruit. The reason could be
any of the following:
The writer doesn’t know the difference between sweet and tart cherries
Is simply copying from another article to write their article
May not have to time to do research and provide accurate information for the end reader
Where are Cherries Grown in the United States?
As stated above a number of countries around the world grow and harvest cherries. However, for the
purpose of this whitepaper, the author will only discuss the areas of the United States that grow
cherries. The reason is the majority of published research has been conducted on U.S.A. grown
cherries, particularly Michigan-grown cherries. The author isn’t familiar with any peer-review research
studies conducted on Chinese, Turkish, etc. grown fruit. Thus, the author wants to stick with the
facts and the proven published research.
In addition, as you may notice a number of websites now sell cherry juice concentrate. However, the
vast majority of them do not indicate what country the fruit originates from neither on their website
nor on their label. If you want to be certain that the cherry juice you are drinking is from U.S.A.
cherries, please contact any company and ask them to confirm in writing the cherry juice they are
selling is from the United States, specifically Michigan.
Also, some companies also are blending different types of cherry juice into a final product. For
example, the company may be mixing Turkish cherry juice with U.S.A. grown cherry juice. This
probably means the company knows that U.S.A. grown cherries is what consumers are searching for
but they are mixing in the imported cherry juice to increase profits.
The only reason the author is bringing this information to your attention is the author believes the
United States has the best growing practices and food safety issues in the entire world. If you are
going to consume anything into your body, don’t you want to consume food that has followed the
best food safety and growing practices on the globe?
Based upon published information from CMI4, the United States grows a huge amount of the global
cherry crop. Here is a list of some of the states that have commercial cherry growing regions:
Michigan
New York
Pennsylvania
Utah
Washington
California
Wisconsin
Oregon
It is estimated the state of Michigan grows over 70% of all of the cherries in the United States. The
cherry growing region is Michigan is also known as the “Traverse Bay Farms region”. The reason
is this part of Michigan is located in the Traverse Bay region of the state and it has countless number
of farms and orchards, thus the name “Traverse Bay Farms region”.
The Cherry Capital of the World
The largest city in the region is Traverse City, nicknamed the “Cherry Capital of the World”. The
majority of the orchards and farm growing this fruit are located within 50 – 75 miles of Traverse City.
In addition, the city also hosts the National Cherry Festival. This is an annual event that hosts over
500,000 visitors per year. The purpose is to celebrate the upcoming cherry harvest. During the
National Cherry Festival, everything is cherry.
Photo courtesy of 9 and 10 News
4 CMI – The Power of Red
Visitors and locals alike enjoy cherry themed events including:
Cherry pit spitting contests
Cherry pie eating contests
Cherry-Opoly board game events (similar to Monopoly)
Blue Angel air show (every other year)
Carnivals and rides
Parades and a number of other events
Photo courtesy of TV 9 and 10 News
Blue Angels over Traverse City Bay
Photo courtesy of TV 9 and 10 News
The Life Cycle of a Montmorency Tart Cherry
To fully appreciate all of the benefits of this tiny, red fruit, we must first learn the lifecycle of the
Montmorency cherry.
The lifecycle of the cherry is very short, but the trees are the continuous workhorse. It takes
approximately 3 – 5 years after planting a tree for the young tree to bear fruit. The average life of
the cherry tree is about 15 years. Here is a photo of cherry trees during the cold Michigan season.
Photo courtesy of CMI
#1: The Buds
The first step in the lifestyle of the fruit is the bud. As the weathers turns from chilled night air to
warm spring weather, the trees begin to show buds. Check out the five stages of the cherry. As you
can see from the photos, the buds turn into beautiful blossoms and then the fresh fruit.
Photo courtesy of Washington Post
#2: The Blossoms
Next are the blossoms. They are the first visual presence that spring has arrived and it is the
beginning of the upcoming cherry season. Each of the buds turns into a blossom and each blossom
turns into the fresh fruit. It is estimated that each tree grows about 1,000 cherries each season. An
easy way to remember how many cherries each tree grows is by thinking in terms of pie. It takes
about 100 cherries to make a cherry pie, so in other words each tree grows enough fruit to make
about 10 cherry pies.
Photo courtesy of CMI
#3: The Fresh Fruit
Finally, around mid-June until about mid-July each of the blossoms shed their pedals and turn into
the fresh fruit. Mid-July is when the fruit is ready to be harvested.
Photo courtesy of CMI
4: The Harvest
Finally, around mid-June until about mid-July each of the blossoms shed their pedals and turn into
the fresh fruit. Mid-July is when the fruit is ready to be harvested. Specially created machines soon
travel into the orchards to harvest the fruit. Here are photos of some cherry harvesting equipment:
Photo courtesy of CMI
The Shaker: This machine shakes the trees and releases the cherries into an upside down umbrella.
Photo courtesy of CMI
The Separator: This station washes and begins to separate the cherries on quality and size of the
fruit.
#5: The Final Products
Photos courtesy of CMI and Fruit Advantage FruitCeuticals
The fresh fruit can be made into a number of different products including dried, frozen, powder, tart cherry capsules and juice concentrate.
How does the Cherry Compare to Other Fruits and Vegetables?
Brunswick Laboratories, based in Wareham, MA did extensive research on the nutraceutical (natural
health benefits) and ORAC levels of 12 popular fruits and 12 popular vegetables5. The amount of 100
grams was used as the standard of comparison. The lead researcher in the project was Dr. Boxin Ou.
Dr. Ou is one of the leading scientists in the U.S. on phytochemicals in plant foods.
The standard marker of comparison in the study was based upon ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption
Capability). This measures the amount of free radical fighting a capacity of the specific foods. The
higher the ORAC value, the better the food is in fighting disease-causing free radical damage in the
body.
Below are the results of ORAC testing on popular fruits:
1. Tart cherry juice concentrate 12,800 ORAC units
2. Dried tart cherries 6,700
3. Prunes 5,760
4. Blueberries 2,300
5. Blackberries 2,046
6. Frozen tart cherries 2,063
7. Canned waterpack tart cherries 1,750
8. Strawberries 1,550
9. Raspberries 1,230
10. Plums 959
11. Oranges 780
12. Red Grapes 729 ORAC units
5 Research conducted at Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in
Boston and Brunswick Laboratory in Wareham, Massachusetts.
Below are the results of the Brunswick Laboratory testing on popular vegetables:
1. Kale 1,760 ORAC units
2. Spinach 1,360
3. Brussels Sprouts 970
4. Alfalfa Sprouts 920
5. Broccoli Florets 880
6. Beets 850
7. Red Bell Pepper 700
8. Sweet, or "Black" cherries 680
9. Pink Grapefruit 485
10. Grapes, white 465
11. Onion 455
12. Corn 405
13. Tofu 200
14. Carrot 202
15. Tomato 190
16. Iceberg/Head Lettuce 100 ORAC units
Based upon the results of the research, tart cherry juice concentrate has the highest ORAC values of
tested fruits and vegetables. According to the Official Tart Cherry Health Report 6, “ORAC
consumption is vital to maintaining a healthly mind and body. Adding a glass of tart cherry juice to
your daily routine helps your body to get the vital ORAC units it needs.”
6 Official Tart Cherry Health Report – www.TartCherryHealthReport.com
The next type of study was conducted specifically on the different types of cherry products.
Below are the ORAC levels for four popular cherry products per 100 grams.
Tart cherry juice concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
Dried tart cherries: 6,700 ORAC units
Frozen tart cherries: 2,063 ORAC units
Canned water-pack tart cherries: 1,750 ORAC units
Photo courtesy of CMI
As you can see, if you’re looking for the product that delivers the highest ORAC value when
compared to other cherry product, tart cherry juice concentrate is what you are looking to enjoy
daily.
How Much ORAC is Recommend for Daily Consumption?
The next question an individual should ask is the following, “How many ORAC units should I try to
get on a daily basis?”
According to an article published in the August 2011 edition of Total Health Magazine 7 Tuft
University researchers found participants in an ORAC study consumed about 1,670 ORAC units per
day. The study was based upon 36 men and women that ranged in age from 20 to 80 years old.
During the experiment, the researchers requested each individual to increase their daily consumption
of fruits and vegetables from 5 servings to 10 servings per day. This increased consumption of ORAC
rich foods increased the daily ORAC consumption 3,300 to 3,500 units per day. After the participants
ate the additional servings of fruits and vegetables, the researchers took blood samples. The results
indicated the plasma antioxidant values increased 13 to 15 percent more when compared to blood
samples drawn from the same individuals before they increased their ORAC consumption.
The 15 percent increase was considered to be “significant” by the researchers. The reason is the anti-
oxidant capacity of blood is difficulty to increase by any large extent. In addition, the researchers
suggested that individuals should strive to consume a daily intake between 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC
units per day to increase anti-oxidant benefits in the blood and tissue. As mentioned above, adding
tart cherry juice concentrate to your daily diet will add an impressive 12,800 ORAC units to your day.
7 http://www.totalhealthmagazine.com/articles/vitamins-and-supplements/polyphenols-beyond-antioxidants.html
The Natural Health Benefits of the Tart Cherry
Health benefits and nutritional values may be two different things. For example, if you’re looking for
a natural source of vitamin A, C, or E, you probably want to eat fruit that is rich in each of the those
vitamins8. For example, sources of Vitamin A include:
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Bell peppers
Sources of Vitamin C include:
Oranges
Broccoli
Kiwi
Sources of Vitamin E include:
Tofu
Spinach
Almonds
However, if getting relief from joint pain caused by gout or arthritis, eating carrots for vitamin A or an
orange for vitamin C may not be what you’re searching for to relieve your pain. Instead you would
look for foods that are natural sources of anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins occur naturally in nature. They are responsible for giving fruits and vegetables their
color. The word anthocyanin dates back to ancient Greece. In fact, two Greek words meaning blue
and plant are the base origin of the word. 9 It is the presence of this phytochemical that gives
cherries their color. They also are vital in the anti-oxidant levels and activity found in cherries.
8 Health Magazine – 12 Foods With More Vitamin C Than Oranges
9 Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering
Any fruit, vegetable or plant that has color has the presence of anthocyanins. In addition, they are
responsible for turning the green leaves of summer into the bright orange, fiery red and yellows of
autumn.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
So the next time you are in the produce section of your local grocery store or farmer’s market and
see all of the colors of the fruits and vegetables, you are witnessing the power of the presence of
anthocyanins.
Photo courtesy of Red Wing Farmers Market
Anthocyanins and Tart Cherries?
As mentioned above, fruits and vegetables of color are a natural source of anthocyanins. So the next
logical step is to look at the natural sources containing the highest amount of anthocyanins and
compare them. However, before we do that, we need to see how many different types of
anthocyanins exist. According to Ray Sahelian, M.D.10, scientists have discovered over 500 different
types of anthocyanins. So the presence of anthocyanins may not be the “magic bullet” for the anti-
inflammatory properties of tart cherries and cherry juice11. So let’s take a close look at what Dr.
Muraleedharan Nair and Michigan State University were the first to identify the pain relieving
properties of anthocyanins in tart cherries.12
Tart cherries have a unique mixture of anthocyanins called Anthocyanins 1 and 2. These help to
inhibit the cyclooxygenase (Cox) enzymes associated with gout and arthritis pain. In the research
conducted by Dr. Nair and his research team, they compared 10 different small fruits looking to find
which ones had the highest amounts of naturally occurring anthocyanins 1 and 2.
According to Dr. Nair, "Twenty tart cherries provide 25 mg of anthocyanins, which help shut down
the enzymes that cause tissue inflammation in the first place, so cherries can prevent and treat many
kinds of pain". In addition, the presence of anthocyanins may provide 10 times the anti-inflammatory
benefits of over the counter (OTC) choices including aspirin or ibuprofen.
Below is a chart comparing some of the top fruit with Total Anthocyanins 1 and 2.
10
http://www.raysahelian.com/anthocyanins.html 11
Chiroinnovation – Ibuprofen or Tart Cherries 12
Michigan State University – Department of Horticulture
Photo courtesy of CMI
Cherry Juice Can Alleviate Joint Pain Caused Arthritis and Gout?
Tart cherries are delicious and anti-oxidant rich fruit. In fact, in 2012 13, the tart cherry could be the
next big food in the superfruit juices just like pomegranate juice. The Montmorency tart cherry is
being researched for a number of reasons including their high levels of naturally occurring anti-
oxidants, the ability to relief pain due to inflammation in the joints and muscles. In addition, it could
also help countless individuals suffering from insomnia and looking for a natural sleep aid.
Drinking just one ounce, or two tablespoons, of tart concentrated cherry juice every day can help
alleviate arthritis pain. That's because tart cherries, specifically Montmorency tart cherries, contain
anthocyanins and two important antioxidants: isoqueritrin and queritrin. Anthocyanins create cherries'
dark red pigment. Arthritis inflammation and pain is caused by the hormone prostaglandin; it is
directly related to two enzymes that cause tissue inflammation and the resulting pain. Anthocyanins
inhibit those two enzymes, decreasing inflammation and joint pain. Remarkably, the paininhibiting
strength is comparable to ibuprofen and naproxen. And laboratory tests at Michigan State University
find that tart cherry compounds are at least 10 times more effective than aspirin in reducing
inflammation--without any of aspirin's side effects. Queritrin and isoqueritrin are flavonoids.
Flavonoids function as antioxidants, meaning that they destroy free radicals within the body to
generally help prevent cancer.
Queritrin and isoqueritrin help eliminate the byproducts of stress, and they help slow down the aging
process in general. Queritrin also possesses antiinflammatory effects similar to non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Queritrin can also inhibit the body's
production of inflammation-causing leukotrienes and histamine. Anthocyanins possess additional
beneficial properties. They are powerful antioxidants, meaning they destroy free radicals within the
body to generally help prevent cancer. Anthocyanins are even more powerful than vitamin E. Tart
cherries boast a whopping 26.5 grams of anthocyanins--the highest of all fruits.
13
Daily News – Could cherries be the next superfruit? Fruit could also be used to provide relief from pain and inflammation. March 26, 2012
Anthocyanins also help prevent plaque buildup in artery walls, which in turn helps prevent heart
disease; they're more potent in this regard than vitamins C and E. Also, tart cherries are a low-
glycemic food, so they're diabetic-friendly. The antioxidant queritrin also possesses additional
beneficial properties. It is one of the most powerful anticancer agents known. Its antioxidant
properties are superior to vitamins C and E. And if these powerful antioxidants in tart cherry juice
weren't enough, it also contains ellagic acid, which may be the most potent substance to prevent
cancer.
It takes the juice of 100 Montmorency tart cherries to make just one ounce of Montmorency tart
cherry juice. The tart cherry juice concentrate can be added to any other beverage, such as water or
tea. Or you can even add it to a fruit smoothie for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up. The
highest quality Montmorency cherry juice available is a measurement known as 68 brix. Look for
cherry juice that's clear and sediment-free. Who knew alleviating arthritis pain could taste so good?
The Year Round Availability of Cherries
Cherries are a very perishable fruit. This means the fresh fruit is only available for a short time during
the summer harvest. Thus, if you’re looking to get cherries into your diet, you may need to consider
other cherry-based products including:
Dried Cherries
Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate
Tart Cherry Capsules
Tart Cherry Powder
Dried Cherries
Dried cherries offer an excellent snack and addition to recipes. They also are a great choice to add to
your morning breakfast cereal or yogurt.
Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate
According the material published by experts in the cherry industry, it takes the juice of approximately
100 tart cherries to make just one ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate.
There are six areas that consumers should be aware of when comparing and selecting tart cherry
juice concentrate. Below are the six areas we believe individuals should consider:
Type of cherry that is used to produce the juice
The quality of the tart cherry juice concentrate
o Taste
o Packaging
o Shelf-stable or the need for refrigeration
o Sediment-free guarantee
Type of Cherry that is used to Produce the Juice:
The majority of research published in the last 10 years or so about the naturally occurring health
benefits of cherries has been conducted on the Montmorency tart variety of cherry.
The Quality of the Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate:
Unfortunately, not all tart cherry juice concentrate products are the same. The first area to consider
and is important in the overall quality of the final products is the brix count. Brix (pronounced bricks)
is one of the measurements of the overall quality of tart cherry juice concentrate. The brix is the
measurement of the amount of naturally occurring sugar in the cherry juice. Cherry juice is usually
measured at 68 brix. Be sure to be aware of the brix level in any cherry product you buy and try
make sure it is of 68 brix. The brix information should be printed on the product label or published
on the website. If the brix level of a concentrate is lower than 68 brix, you should inquiry why this
number is less than the 68 marker.
In addition to the brix amount, you may also want to inquiry about the acidity level. This is how
much acid is in the product. The higher the acid, the more
sharp will be the final taste. However, since cherry juice is a
natural product and not a man-made product these markers
may naturally vary from year to year in the final product,
keep in mind this is only a guide to help you make an
educated decision when you buy cherry juice concentrate.
Photo courtesy of CMI
Taste of the Final Product - Reflected by the Crispness of the Flavor of the Final Product:
Like any other consumable product you would purchase, taste is very important. Cherry juice is no
exception. Cherry juice offers a number of options and is available in a number of different sizes and
bottles. For example, you can get cherry juice in plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard single
shot containers and glass bottles. Based upon the information available from our own research and
observations the aluminum containers and cardboard singles shot containers are lined with a plastic
film.
While this has been the authors experience, there may be aluminum cans and cardboard single shot
containers not lined in plastic, but we aren’t aware of any. The best way to determine this is ask the
company which you are potentially buying cherry juice in aluminum cans or single shot containers if
they are lined with a plastic film prior to your purchase.
Now back to the glass containers, one of the main benefits of
drinking cherry juice from a glass bottle is that glass bottles help to
prevent plastic leaching.
Plastic leaching is a well-known fact in the food industry. Leaching occurs when a product is bottled
in a plastic container and the food actually pulls or “leaches” plastic molecules from the bottle
directly into the food.
Fortunately, leaching is not a concern for cherry juice packed in glass bottles.
Bottling of Cherry Juice:
Bottling for cherry juice is available in two ways: cold-packed and hot packed (we will not address
the bottling of the single shot cardboard containers). Below is a basic definition of each:
Cold-packed – Some companies, but not all, that follow the cold-packing bottling
process simply pump cherry juice concentrate from 52 gallon drums directly into individual
plastic bottles. Cold-packing may also be the less expensive way to bottle cherry juice
concentrate since some companies simply hand fill their bottles over a utility sink. Not to
say all companies currently follow this practice, some have simply done this in the past.
Other cold pack companies do have a bottling line. In addition, some cold pack companies
selling cold-packed cherry juice indicate cold-packed cherry juice must be refrigerated
upon the customer’s receipt of the product but many of these same companies selling
plastic bottle cherry juice concentrate don’t keep their products refrigerated during
shipping.
Hot-packed - The cherry juice is pumped from a 52 gallon drum, flash pasteurized, and
then bottled into individual glass bottles. Hot-packed cherry juice concentrate is shelf-
stable and doesn't need refrigeration during shipping, storage or until the product is open.
Hot-packed cherry juice is designed for completed convenience. However, after the
product has been opened it does require refrigeration. Hot-packed cherry juice can be
shipped without refrigeration and is shelf stable. The hot-pack process is very similar to
the canning process. Hot-packed concentrate is packed in glass bottles and eliminates the
fear of “plastic leaching”
Unfortunately, some cherry juice companies lead the consumer to believe cold-packed
cherry juice is never heated (pasteurized). This is simply not true. Cherry juice concentrate
in 52 gallon drums is usually flash pasteurized or heated to some degree prior to being
placed into the drum.
Stability: Product stability is vital not only for shipping purposes but also storage. The
majority of companies selling cherry juice are selling cold-packed cherry juice that is bottled
in plastic bottles. This means the product should probably be refrigerated during shipping and
storage. Yet many of these companies freely ship cold-packed cherry juice across the country
in unrefrigerated cardboard boxes with statements saying the product must be refrigerated
when the product is received. This simply doesn't make since. It would be similar to shipping
orange juice from New Jersey to Texas in a cardboard box and asking the customer to place
it in the refrigerator when it arrives. Hot-packed cherry juice is designed to be shipped and
storage without the need for refrigeration. However, just like other food products it does
need to be refrigerated once the product is opened.
Sediment-Free Guarantee: Sedimentation is a concern for many cherry juice drinkers.
Sedimentation occurs when the concentrate breaks apart and thick residue settles on the
bottom of the bottle. Sedimentation may be a result of poor quality concentrate, poor bottling
process, poor shipping and storage. Look for cherry juice products that offer a sediment free
guarantee.
As you can see from the photo, this is an excellent example of this brand of cherry juice not having
any sedimentation in the bottom of the bottom. This is cherry juice concentrate from Traverse Bay
Farms
Tart Cherry Capsules and Tart Cherry Powder
The next option for selecting cherry-based products is to select tart cherry capsules and/or powder.
The benefit of the implementing a tart cherry capsule/powder daily routine is the tart cherry powder
is used to make the tart cherry capsules.
The benefits of tart cherry powder include the following:
Natural source of flavonoids (compound that have anti-oxidant capability)
Presence of Anthocyanins (anti-inflammatory benefits of the tart cherry juice)
Can be mixed with recipes and yogurt
It is made for individuals who can swallow pills for personal or medical reasons
Photo courtesy of CMI
The tart cherry capsules are then made from encapsulating the anti-inflammatory powder into an
easy-to-swallow capsule. Check out these benefits of the tart cherry capsules:
Easy to take with you while you travel
No need to for refrigeration after opening. Simply store in your cabinet
Standardized daily serving for the tart cherry
Easy-to-swallow capsules
Two capsules per day deliver 1,200 mg of tart cherry. The highest amount on the market.
Kosher and Vegan Friendly
Check out the complete line of Fruit Advantage FruitCeutials www.FruitAdvantage.com
What Other are Saying about Tart Cherry Products – Video Testimonials
Testimonials about Fruit Advantage Cherry Juice and Cherry Capsules
Cherry Juice Testimonials for Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate
The Final Word
It seems since almost the beginning of recorded time, the tart cherry has played a role in helping
keep healthy. However, it wasn’t until the 1950’s when the first published research really put the joint
pain relieving properties due to gout and arthritis of this tiny fruit on the map. Thanks to dedicated
food researchers, happy individuals with no joint pain and published research the anti-inflammatory
and pain relieving benefits of the tart cherry are fast becoming the first choice for arthritis and gout
suffers.
Contact the Author:
Harold White is a natural health consultation. The author writes about natural home remedies.
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This information is book in not meant to provide any sort of medical advice. Consult your health care
provider and/or doctor for any medical advice.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These products
are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.