Visiting a Cherry Orchard in Upstate New York

Last week, the employees at our Geneva facility took a trip to see how the tart cherries are harvested, just in time for an outstanding yield of top quality fruit from the orchards. 

The cherries were bright red and ripe for the picking—er, shaking. Did you know that they shake the trees to get the cherries off?

Cherries, cherries, cherries!

The cherries on their way to cleaning and packing.

Following the tour, the team had a nice outdoor lunch at a nearby deli located on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Cheribundi Haiku

We asked our Facebook Fans to submit Cheribundi-themed Haiku, with "likes" to vote for the best ones. Here are the results of this challenge, with author's names attached.


Trees bow down bestow 

A gift that stains lips dark red
Prunus Avium
(Alison M.)

Sweet, tart: love itself
In a bottle full of life.
Liquid metaphor
(Kathryn D.)

Sweet and refreshing
with a tart and tasty twist.Cheribundi, yum! 
(Amy R.)

Cheribundi's fun
delicious cheery cherry
in your tum yum yum
(Chinyere A.)

Haven't tried it yet
So pick me to win please do
Shameless plug I know
(Anne C.)

tart cherry juices
bottled delicious goodness
my mouth is puckered
(Ben W.)

Health is a party
Never the pits when I sipMon cheri cherry 
(Sarah H.)

I love Tart Cherries 
And That Cheribundi juice 
Now I will make pie 
(Little Birdy) 

Cheribundi will
Fix your inflammation good
Drink cherries daily
(Garian)

It cures what ails you 

Just seven days you feel good
Bottoms up! Oh yea!

(Little Birdy)

Fresh-pressed cherry juice
Full of anthocyanins
I'll drink you later
(Gina A.)

And the WINNER:

Yes! Cheribundi!
Like sunshine in a bottle.
Sweet, tart, delicious.
(Sadie J.)

Keeping Our Kids Healthy Through Yoga in Schools

The Wellness Initiative’s 4^th Annual Yogathon

Cheribundi is pleased to sponsor The Wellness Initiative’s 4^th annual Yogathon Saturday, April 27 at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. It is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year and goes toward bringing yoga programs to kids in schools throughout Colorado. Mara Rose, Executive Director of The Wellness Initiative (TWI), provided us with some insight on the event and the organization that it supports.

The Wellness Initiative

TWI was founded in 2006 in order to provide low-income area youth with the opportunity to improve physical, social and emotional health, and increase overall academic performance. “TWI was founded to provide yoga to students in Colorado and address the growing concern that students of all ages suffer from increasingly stressful and unhealthy lives,” says Mara. “Because many of the students in our programs lack the opportunities and tools to relax, reflect, strengthen and focus, their self confidence,

physical health and academic performance suffer.”

During the 2012-2013 school year, TWI is providing almost 2,500 students in 37 schools throughout 6 counties with yoga-based wellness programs. The students are introduced to ways to relax, control their anger and gain awareness about their health. These programs helps to keep kids from developing mental health disorders, and off of psychotropic drugs for conditions such as anxiety, ADHD and depression. The program also keeps kids exercising and healthy, which is important considering that more than 9 million children in the US are overweight and will be at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The Yogathon

This is the fourth year that the Yogathon has taken place. The event has been held at Naropa University in Boulder for three years. Mara describes the location as “warm and welcoming with values that align with our values, although the work we do is totally secular.”

Over the year, the event has grown to provide almost double in funding. TWI’s goal this year is $40,000, which will fund almost 600 yoga classes. The Yogathon expects 200 participants this year, and each pledged to raise at least $108. The event’s success is mostly because “awareness among yoga practitioners has grown, corporate sponsorship has increased, and the whole process is much easier now that it was a couple of years ago,” according to Mara. All of the proceeds raised will go towards paying for The Wellness Initiative’s programs.

The event features 108 sun salutations by 10 yoga instructors from around the area, live music, all-levels yoga classes, a silent auction

and food, drinks and other goodies (including Cheribundi!). Cheribundi is proud to be part of this event, and the movement of promoting yoga and wellness in schools. Good work, TWI!

New Cheribundi Flavors!

Our new Refresh juice and tea line is here! 

Cheribundi's new line of Refresh tea and juice blends are a delicious and thirst-quenching alternative to overly sweet sodas or artificially-flavored soft drinks. They're the perfect choice for a lunch on the go, with a convenient size and price to match.

This is not the artificial flavor-filled red sugar water labeled as "cherry juice" that you drank as a kid. It is made from orchard-fresh tart cherries, mixed with some delicious and healthy fruits, teas and juices. 

Together, they create a refreshing, thirst-quenching bounty. The kind of refreshment you'll want to have every day. Which is a good thing when you consider all the phytonutrients and anthocyanins you get from tart cherries. So drink up, and enjoy discovering how cherry juice should really taste.

Our juice blends come in FIVE delicious flavors: Tart Cherry Blueberry, Tart Cherry Pomegranate, Tart Cherry Cranberry, Tart Cherry Lemonade and Tart Cherry Raspberry.  They'll be available in stores starting this month!

The great taste of iced tea with just a hint of tart cherry juice! Our Refresh tea blends are available in FOUR thirst-quenching flavors: Tart Cherry Black Tea, Tart Cherry Green Tea, Tart Cherry Rooibos and Tart Cherry Jasmine. Find them at your local grocer or health food store! Or order them from Amazon.com or by calling us at 1-800-699-0460.

Tart Cherry Sufganiyot for Hanukkah

Hanukkah begins this Saturday at sundown. Did you know that Cheribundi is certified Kosher by Orthodox Union? Cheribundi makes a great holiday drink, on its own or incorporated with seltzer, soda or punch.

You can use Cheribundi in place of liquids in recipes, as well as replace other fruits with dried cherries or cherry preserves in baked goods, salads and dips.

One Hanukkah staple is sufganiyot—small, round jelly donuts. These are delicious with tart cherry filling, which is easily made with rehydrated dried tart cherries mixed with cherry preserves.  Or check out this recipe from Good Housekeeping for easy no-fry sufganiyot.

For a non-traditional, more healthful alternative, try Chocolate Cherry Doughnuffins (made with Cheribundi) by Sarah at The Smart Kitchen blog.  These are made with chia seeds, apple sauce, raisins (or use dried cherries) and pumpkin.  See the whole recipe here.

Will you be serving something special for Hanukkah? Will you try to make it healthier or forget your diet during the holidays?

Cherries and Gout: New Study Released

Gout got you down? Like a railroad-spike-through-the-knee kind of down?

Tart cherries to the rescue!

By Gina Andreucci

A study recently released by Boston University School of Medicine links our favorite cherries with a reduction in gout attacks—between 35 and 75 percent! The study is one of the first to scientifically examine the effects of cherry consumption with the recurrence of gout attacks, although many arthritic patients are well aware of the benefits of cherries for their pain and inflammation.

What is Gout?

Gout is a kind of arthritis characterized by painful joint inflammation, particularly in the big toe, knees and ankles that is due to an excess of uric acid in the blood. It is both an acute and chronic affliction of which the exact cause is unknown. Gout may be genetic and is more commonly found in men, post-menopausal women, and heavy alcohol drinkers.

8.3 million sufferers in the US would all agree: gout is the pits.

A gout attack is extremely painful and may last up to several days, and subsequent attacks may last longer. Treatment of a gout attack may include anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers or corticosteroids to reduce pain and inflammation. Chronic gout sufferers may be prescribed allopurinol, a daily medication designed to keep uric acid levels in the body low.

The Study

During the study published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, 633 individuals with gout were followed for one year. Patients provided information on symptoms, onset, risk factors, and whether or not they ate fresh cherries or took cherry extract during the year. Researchers gathered information for 1,247 gout attacks – roughly two per patient.

What they discovered was that the participants that ate cherries for two days were 35% less likely to suffer a gout attack than those who did not consume cherries. Participants who reported that they ate cherries in addition to taking their allopurinol medication were 75% less likely to experience an attack.

But what is the magic number for cherries? The study found that three servings (30-36 cherries) over two days proved the most beneficial.

Tart cherries are excellent for anti-inflammation, and high levels of antioxidant compounds found in cherries as well as vitamin C are two components that scientists believe may contribute to the reduction in gout flares. Arthritis Research UK professor Alan Silman admits “Eating cherries, in fact, is not dissimilar to taking ibuprofen on a daily basis.”

The study does not recommend patients abandon standard medical treatment for gout or arthritis, but scientists look forward to future studies to confirm the power of cherries.

Source:

"Cherry Consumption and the Risk of Recurrent Gout Attacks"; Yuqing Zhang, Tuhina Neogi, Clara Chen, Christine Chaisson, David Hunter, Hyon K. Choi; Arthritis & Rheumatism, anticipated online publication 28 September 2012; DOI: 10.1002/art.34677; Additional sources: Wiley-Blackwell, Arthritis Research UK.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/250862.php