The federal Food and Drug Administration has warned sellers of cherry products not to make undocumented claims about their health benefits.

This Record-Eagle story describes how the FDA has cracked down on claims made by producers of cherry juice concentrate and other cherry products that they can cure everything from gout to cancer.

The FDA says that such claims have not been proven with scientific studies--that they are "anecdotal." Well, here's my anecdote. For years, I had pain in the joint of my right big toe. My Dad had it. My aunt had it. For all I know, everyone in my family had it. But once I started putting a couple of tablespoons of cherry juice concentrate in my morning apple cider (nutritious and delicious, as Soupy Sales used to say), the pain went away. Not got better-- went away altogether. I say the FDA needs some better studies.