Cherry Marketing Institute

Prepared Foods, March, 2002

Product: U.S. Grown Red Tart Cherries

Scientific name: Prunus cerasus

Common names: Tart cherries, sour cherries, Montmorency cherries, pie cherry, red cherry.

The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is the national promotion and research organization funded by U.S. tart cherry growers. CMI's goal is to increase the use of processed tart cherries through promotion and market expansion.

According to ongoing research, Montmorency tart cherries are a rich source of antioxidants that can help fight cancer and heart disease. In addition, cherries contain compounds that help relieve the pain of arthritis and gout. The secret is in the pigments that give cherries their rich red hue. They belong to a class of natural dyes called anthocyanins. These compounds are being called "Mother Nature's all-natural chemotherapy agents."

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