Cherries for Belly Fat…and More!

I was excited to read that a recent study has found that a tart-cherry enriched diet can reduce belly fat.  That’s certainly good news; eat something sweet and delicious and lose fat at the same time! Is this for real?

I searched the internet to find more details about the report and lo and behold I found that tart cherries also may lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease by lowering total cholesterol levels, triglycerides, insulin and fasting glucose levels after 90 days.

But that’s not all.  According to the report, “cherry-fed groups had lower levels of a plasma marker of oxidative damage and increased blood antioxidant capacity – not surprising since cherries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants.  Additionally, the cherry-enriched diets reduced “fatty liver” or the accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver.”

Can you guess who funded this study? The Cherry Marketing Institute, of course, and their public relations firm, not the research facility, is the contact for information.

This is yet another example of a research study reaching a conclusion that the funder is seeking.