NEW YORK -- Health-conscious consumers are abuzz about new exotic berries from the Amazon with names they can't even pronounce, but nutrition researchers say they may be missing a home-grown "superfruit" that provides surprisingly similar amounts of antioxidants: cherries.

A growing body of scientific research shows that tart cherries -- which are available year-round as dried and frozen cherries or cherry juice -- have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits. Most people don't know that. A recent survey found that more than half (52 percent) believe that blueberries and cranberries have the most antioxidants. Yet 7 out of 10 people said if they knew cherries were as nutritious as blueberries and cranberries, they would choose cherries.

With the help of some leading health experts, the cherry industry launched a new consumer education campaign and unveiled "The Cherry Nutrition Report." The new report is the first compendium of peer-reviewed cherry-related studies and documents the surprisingly high levels of antioxidants in tart cherries. It also reviews the array of research that links cherries to a variety of health benefits -- from easing the pain of arthritis and gout to offering potential protection against heart disease and certain cancers.

"There's a significant body of evidence suggesting that cherries are one of the most nutritious fruits you can eat," said panel member Russel J. Reiter, Ph.D., a prominent nutrition researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Reiter has pioneered many of the studies on tart cherries.

"Cherries not only contain significant levels of antioxidants, but they provide a unique combination of antioxidants that are not found in other fruits," Reiter said. "The compounds in cherries act as potent antioxidants that appear to have anti-inflammatory benefits, which may be particularly valuable for aging baby boomers suffering from joint pain."

For decades, cherries have quietly grown a devoted fan base of arthritis sufferers who attributed tart cherries (especially tart cherry juice concentrate) to pain relief. Now the research by Reiter and others have put science behind the cherry folklore.

"The evidence was always anecdotal, but it was repeated so often and by so many people that it made us think there was something to it," Reiter said. "That's why we've explored this connection from a scientific standpoint."

In the last few years, studies seem to have validated the anecdotal claims. Research indicates that cherries help inhibit enzymes in the body that are associated with inflammation. The compounds in cherries were found to have similar activity as aspirin and ibuprofen.