Montmorency tart cherries, first discovered by Roman legionnaires along the Black Sea, have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, according to scientists. Now a study from the UK’s University of Hertfordshire published in the Journal of Functional Foods has found that the cherries can mitigate factors that lead to metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Just two hours after being given cherries in the form of juice or capsules, subjects showed significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, and insulin levels were significantly lower after one and three hours compared to those given a placebo.

This article appears in the August 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.