• Question: Is it true that cherries can cause cancer cells to kill themselves?

    Asked by delaram123 to Lou on 15 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Louise Brown

      Louise Brown answered on 15 Nov 2013:

      What an interesting question!

      I believe cherry juice is full of antioxidants, which are believed to stop free radicals, which are chemicals produced by the body that normally are involed in everyday things, but radiation, smoking etc can cause too many to be produced and that can cause cancer.

      If you eat cherries/drink cherry juice, there will be more antioxidants and so that might mean less free radicals. Research into it has given different answers, some people say it stops cancer from getting worse but others say it has no benefit.

      Im not sure if it causes apoptosis (this is the name for when cells kill themselves).

      I work with (and am good friends with) a man who discovered that cherry juice stops athletes from getting sore muscles after exercise!

      Sounds like we should all be eating lots of
      Cherries!

Comments