John Davey quit his job as a Wall Street banker to team up with Cornell food scientists and create CherryPharm, a tart cherry sports drink found to prevent inflamation and improve conditioning.

Research by Padilla-Zakour, Malachy McHugh, director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma, and Declan Connolly, associate professor and director of the University of Vermont's Human Performance Lab, published June in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed strength loss was 22% with a placebo but only 4% with cherry juice. Trainers of athletes who have tried the drink say it works. "The New York Rangers have integrated … CherryPharm's all-natural juice into the lives of our players. We feel less sore, sleep better and recover faster," said Rangers' medical trainer Jim Ramsay.

—Linda McCandless, Chonicle