Item(s) in your basket
Telephone Orders & General Enquiries
To place an order by phone, please call, at local rates, 0844 770 7943.
Customers outside UK please call 0044 (0)844 770 7943. (additional delivery costs may apply).
Lines are open between 9am and 5pm Mon- Fri.
Contact a
Nutritionist
Have a question? Click here ›› to contact Barbara.
Our Product ranges
From Concentrates to Capsules - fitting into your everyday lifestyle.
Trade & Affiliate Login
FAQ's
What is the history of Montmorency Cherries ?
Modern day cherry production began in the mid-1800s. In 1852, Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary living in northern Michigan, planted cherry trees on Old Mission Peninsula (near Traverse City, Michigan). Much to the surprise of the other farmers and Indians who lived in the area, Dougherty's cherry trees flourished and soon other residents of the area planted cherry trees. The area proved to be ideal for growing cherries because Lake Michigan tempers Arctic winds in winter and cools the orchards in summer.
The first commercial tart cherry orchards in Michigan were planted in 1893 on Ridgewood Farm near the site of Dougherty's original plantings. By the early 1900s, the tart cherry industry was firmly established in the state with orchards not only in the Traverse City area, but all along Lake Michigan from Benton Harbor to Elk Rapids. Soon production surpassed other major crops. The first cherry processing facility, Traverse City Canning Company, was built just south of Traverse City, and the ruby-red fruit was soon shipped to Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee.
The Montmorency is the primary variety of tart cherry. The newest American variety of tart cherry is the Balaton. Dr. Amy Iezzoni developed this cherry variety at Michigan State University.
Why Montmorency Cherries ?
Montmorency Tart cherries are one of today’s red hot “Super Fruits,” rich in antioxidants and health promoting nutrients. A growing body of science reveals tart cherries, enjoyed as dried fruit as well as cherry juice, have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times as much as blueberries or strawberries) vitamins C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fibre and folate.
Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, and diabetes. Cherries also have been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.
What are Antioxidants & Anthocyanins?
Antioxidants
Oxygen is an important component of the air we breathe. We couldn’t survive without it. But oxygen can also be a source of free radicals – unstable oxygen molecules associated with heart disease and the effects of aging. Luckily, antioxidants can counter, scavenge, and deactivate these damaging free radicals. Thousands of studies spanning decades of research consistently and repeatedly show that maintaining a high antioxidant defence system lowers a person’s risk for disease, stimulates the immune system, protects brain neurons from damage, and possibly even slows the aging process. Oxidative stress associated with disease occurs when oxidative damage exceeds our antioxidant defences.
A lab testing procedure called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC measures the total antioxidant capacity of foods. ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate. The more oxygen radicals a food absorbs, the higher its ORAC score. The higher the ORAC score, the better a food may be in helping our bodies fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Nutrition experts estimate a person needs to consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day to reach a significant antioxidant capacity in the blood to contribute to health benefits. More than 100 grams of tart cherry juice concentrate supplies 12,800 ORAC units. Just 30ml supplies 5120 ORAC units, or more than an entire day’s recommendation. A 45g portion of dried Montmorency cherries rates 3,060 on the ORAC scale. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that tart cherries ranked 14 in the top 50 foods for highest antioxidant content per serving size – surpassing well-known leaders such as red wine.
Cherries also contain at least 17 antioxidants, including the powerful Melatonin, egallic acid, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol and quercetin.
Anthocyanins
Anthocyanins that give tart cherries their deep, rich colour belong to a large group of phenolic compounds called flavonoids. Of the 150 different flavonoids found in plants, anthocyanins appear to have the greatest antioxidant capacity. Research conducted at Michigan State University found that tart cherries contained the highest concentrations of anthocyanins 1 and 2 – which help block enzymes in the body called cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (popularly known as COX-1 and COX-2). Some pain medication works by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2, which may explain why some people find that tart cherries help ease the pain of arthritis and gout. The researchers found that cherries were the richest source of these beneficial compounds compared to various berries, including raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Anthocyanins 1 and 2 were not found in blueberries. Tart cherries contain 30 to 40 milligrams of anthocyanins 1 and 2 in every 100 grams of fruit. Tart cherries contain significantly more anthocyanins and phenols than do sweet cherries. For example, one study found that the total phenolic content of sweet cherries ranged from 92 to 147 milligrams/100 grams, while the same amount of tart cherries contained up to 312 milligrams, or more than twice the phenols 4.
Anthocyanins are more effective than vitamin C, four times more potent as an antioxidant than the well-known vitamin E, and have been compared to ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen for their anti-inflammatory benefits.
What does ORAC refer to?
ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity)
This is a standardised method of measuring antioxidant capacities of different foods. Products with high ORAC values are valuable in reducing oxidative damage on a cellular level that may contribute to degenerative diseases of aging, such as cardiovascular disease and immune system decline.
Can Diabetics take Cherry Essentials Products?
Cherry Essentials Montmorency Concentrate contains 15g of natural fruit sugars per 30ml serving.
Cherry Essentials Concentrate contains 15g of natural fruit sugars per 30ml serving. Montmorency cherries have a low Glycemic Index (GI). The GI is a system that ranks foods by how they affect blood sugar levels in the body. Low GI foods produce a gradual rise in the blood sugar that’s easy on the body. Foods with high GI numbers make blood sugar as well as insulin level spike fast.
What is the shelf life of Cherry Essentials Products and how do I store them?
All Cherry Essential products will have a best before on the outer label stating the shelf life
To maintain the Power of the Cherry we recommend the Cherry Essentials Concentrates are kept under refrigerated conditions. The Shelf life of the Cherry Essential concentrates is 12 months.
If you wish you can store the concentrate in the fridge or freezer (up to 24months) upon arrival.
The Cherry Essentials kept capsules under cool dry conditions have a shelf life of 12 months and the oat cookies 4 months from the date of manufacture.
The Cherry Essentials Apple Juice infused Cherries kept under cool dry condition will also have a shelf life of 12 months from the date of manufacture
How many Cherries are contained with Cherry Essentials products ?
Cherry Essentials Tart Juice Concentrate contains the juice of around 1,500 individual Montmorency tart cherries per 473ml bottle. Each capsule contains the powder from the skins and pulp of around 50 cherries.
What security measures have you in place for ordering over the internet?
We have a fully secure server in place which is continuously monitored and maintained
Still not received my order?
We will endeavour to deliver the parcel within 3-5 working days of the order.
If you have still not received your order (UK Mainland) with 7 days, please contact us via :-
Warning: Blue Sky Health Foods cannot and does not offer any medical advice.
Always seek advice from your doctor if you are unsure or seek to alter your prescribed medication