David Grotto's THE BEST FOODS YOU CAN EAR Touts Benefits of Cherries

Related: David Grotto, THE BEST FOODS YOU CAN EAT

A new book from David Grotto, RD, titled THE BEST FOODS YOU CAN EAT (Da Capo Press, January 2013), reveals some of the best foods for healthier living, including tart cherries. Recognized for their powerful nutrient profile and functional properties, tart cherries appear on several lists in Grotto's book, including best foods for sleep, as well as best pain-fighting foods, best foods for muscle recovery, and best fruits overall.

Emerging research has linked tart cherry juice to improvements in sleep and sleep patterns, which is why cherries were featured as one of Grotto's "7 Best Foods for Zzzz."

"More and more, people are searching for delicious, natural foods that offer functional benefits, and tart cherries rise to the top in my book," said Grotto. "Science continues to support the many health benefits of tart cherries such as helping regulate natural sleep patterns, which is especially important as the CDC now considers lack of sleep a 'public health epidemic.'"

Currently, Americans spend more than $84 million on over-the-counter sleep aids each year, leaving many searching for cost-effective ways to help manage their conditions.[1]Researchers believe tart cherries can help. In particular, one study found that healthy adults experienced improved sleep time and a 5-6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency after drinking two servings of tart cherry juice for a week.

Science Behind the Best of RED

As highlighted in The Red Report, a compilation of more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific studies, in addition to emerging evidence supporting the benefits of tart cherry juice as a sleep aid, a substantial body of research indicates that tart cherries may have unique powers to help reduce chronic inflammation related to arthritis, gout, heart disease and exercise-related muscle pain.

In fact, along with ginger, turmeric and hot peppers, tart cherries top Grotto's list of "Best foods for numbing aches and pains." One study by the Oregon Health & Science University found that drinking tart cherry juice twice daily for three weeks led to significant reductions in important inflammation markers associated with osteoarthritis. Another found eating cherries may reduce the risk of a gout attack by up to 35 percent. [3], [4]

Grotto's book also sites tart cherries as one of the "Best pre- and post- workout foods." In one study, runners who drank cherry juice twice a day for seven days prior to and on the day of a long-distance relay had significantly less muscle pain following the race.[5]

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