No pain is the cherry on top

In addition to being loaded with vitamin A and antioxidants, cherries—specifically tart cherries—also contain anti-inflammatory properties. A study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference earlier this month in San Francisco by Oregon Health & Science University showed that women ages 40-70 with osteoarthritis experienced reduced inflammation after drinking juice from tart cherries twice daily for three weeks. This augments an earlier study that showed similar results with long-distance runners. It turns out the same anthocyanins antioxidants that give tart cherries their color and tartness also help reduce inflammation, and the Montmorency variety (or sour pie cherries) “have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food,” according to researchers.

Sources: www.treehugger.com and www.ohsu.edu