Information on Nature Blessed Cherry Juice

Nature Blessed Cherry Juice is a concentrated juice made by Coloma Frozen Foods in Coloma, Mich. It is available at many online vendors of antioxidant-rich foods and at select health food stores across the country. Coloma Frozen Foods claims on its website that Nature Blessed Cherry Juice contains high levels of melatonin as well as anthocyanins. The FDA has issued a warning about health claims made by Coloma Frozen Foods in the past, as well as other manufacturers of cherry juice products.

Significance

Cherry juice is one of several berry and fruit juices that are widely marketed by health food proponents as sources of beneficial phytonutrients and is sometimes indicated in certain disease treatments. According to cherryjuicepower.com, drinking cherry juice may help with preventing certain cancers, arthritis, heart disease and slowing the aging process. The website of Coloma Frozen Foods does not make any health claims other than high levels of melatonin and anthocyanins.

Controversy

In October 2005, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to 29 companies that manufacture, market or distribute products made from cherries, including Coloma Frozen Foods. The FDA claimed that the companies involved were marketing the cherry products as treatments or preventions for a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and arthritis. The warning included a threat of possible criminal action if the companies did not take prompt corrective measures.

Melatonin

On the product page website of Coloma Frozen Foods, there is a claim that Natures Blessed Cherry Juice contains "very high levels of natural melatonin." A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2001 reported that melatonin was detected in two varieties of tart cherries. According to the Mayo clinic, melatonin possesses potent antioxidant properties and may be an effective treatment for insomnia and other health conditions.

Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are blue or purple antioxidant compounds that are found in a variety of berries as well as grapes and cherries and are believed to be highly beneficial to human health. A study published in Cancer Letters in May 2003 found that anthocyanins in cherries were able to inhibit intestinal tumor growth as well as reduce proliferation of colon cancer cells in rats. Coloma Frozen Foods claims that Nature Blessed Cherry Juice contains 25mg of anthocyanins per serving.

Considerations

Although the makers of Nature Blessed Cherry Juice are not allowed to make health claims about the possible medical benefits of consuming their product, it does appear that cherries and products made from cherries do indeed have potent phytonutrient ingredients with documented health benefits. However, it is unclear whether the products made by Coloma Frozen Foods have a higher value than any other cherry products on the market.

References

• Anthocyanin cancer study
• Melatonin and Cherries study
• Mayo Clinic on Melatonin

Resources

• Coloma Frozen Foods
• Cherryjuicepower.com
• FDA warning to cherry juice manufacturers