Ask Dr. Gott: Cherries a cure for kidney stone

Dear Dr. Gott: I'm writing to thank you for your suggestion to use cherries or cherry extract to relieve gout and also to tell you about cherries and kidney stones.

[George]

I agree, I first heard how kidney stones can be dissolved by cherries from my dad. He suffered later in life and I suffer from kidney stones, too. I remember him eating 30 cherries a day. However, I also remember him not being able to find cherries during the winter and pain he experienced. I have taking tart cherry extract capsules from Fruit Advantage for the past 2 years and I don't have to worry about being out during the winter months, like my dad did.

[Mandye]

Are there particula cherries I need to eat? Does it matter if they are the red cherries or the red and cherries? In other words, do they need to be the really tart ones?