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Tart Cherries: the New "Superfruit?"

When you think of cherries, you might want to consider more than just those sweet ice-cream toppers.

Tart cherries (the kind that are dried and used for juice concentrate) have been hailed by some as a new superfruit. So what's the research? A new study found that a diet enriched with 1% tart Montmorency cherries may help reduce blood cholesterol and lower blood glucose. The catch: The study involved rats. But it does pave the way for more animal studies and new research in humans. Researchers aren't surprised by the potential benefits associated with the red fruit. Tart cherries rank among the fruits with the highest levels of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant.

Whether the fruit offers heart-specific benefits or not, cherries can add some unexpected color and zing to your meals. Stir dried cherries into rice pilaf, toss them into a salad, and use them as a topping for just about anything, including cereal, oatmeal, and yogurt. And take along a quarter cup of dried cherries mixed with cereal and nuts as a snack.