Cherries are packed with delicious nutrition. They give you a bite-sized boost of essential vitamins and nutrients, including potassium, copper, vitamin C and polyphenols. Cherries also support workout recovery, help fight free radicals and even help you sleep better, among other benefits. Plus, they’re just as great frozen as they are fresh. Who knew this little fruit was so good for you? Read on to learn the health benefits of cherries, plus delicious recipes to put cherries to work.
What do cherries do for your body?
Instead of reaching for a potassium-packed banana to balance your electrolytes and eliminate muscle cramps after a run, grab two handfuls (1 1/2 cups) of cherries to get the same boost of potassium. Just 1 cup of cherries delivers more copper than Chinook salmon, more than half the magnesium of raw spinach and the vitamin C of half a lemon.
In addition to satiating fiber, cherries are also loaded with polyphenols, melatonin, carotenoids and vitamins E and C. These vitamins and nutrients have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers that reduce many plasma serum levels (blood markers) for oxidative stress and inflammation.
Translation: Cherries are a nutrient-dense superfood that give your body a dose of beneficial antioxidants. Keep reading to learn the unique benefits of cherries for your workout, sleep quality and mood.
6 health benefits of cherries
1. Speed up exercise recovery
Looking for a boost to speed recovery after your workout? Pass the cherries — specifically, tart cherries. Research shows that tart cherry juice helps reduce sore muscles and supports recovery after workouts.
- A scientific review of the human health benefits of cherries, focusing on marathoners, triathletes and water polo players, overwhelmingly showed that tart cherry juice reduced the pain of sore muscles recovering from exercise.[1]
- Another study of 54 marathon runners drank either a glass of tart cherry juice or a placebo every day for a week before running a race. Those given the cherry juice reported significantly less muscle pain after the race.[2]
- In several studies, athletes who drank tart cherry juice showed lower levels of creatine and lactate, the blood markers that indicate post-exercise muscle damage.[3]
- Another study showed athletes recovered their strength faster with the help of the antioxidant power of of the juice of Montmorency cherries, a particular variety of tart cherry.[4]
2. Support a healthy inflammation response
Cherries contain polyphenols, micronutrients that give many fruits and vegetables their color and make those foods powerful antioxidants. One type of polyphenol, anthocyanin, which gives dark cherries their color, has been found to suppress the body’s release of inflammatory proteins that causes pain and soreness.[5] Studies have also shown that tart cherry juice was effective in reducing the painful uric acid build up in the extremities, like the feet or ankles, experienced by people with gout.[6] [7]
3. Help your body fight free radicals
Cherries pack a powerful antioxidant punch. You want antioxidants in your diet to help fight free radicals, which your cells produce when they use energy or get exposed to oxidative stress. Too many free radicals can damage cells and contribute to inflammation. Antioxidants help support a healthy inflammation and immune response.
Studies have found that cherry polyphenols help protect your body from disease.[8] Monoterpenes, substances that give cherries their smell, may have the ability to stop cancer cells from successfully multiplying.[9] Pretty impressive for such a tiny fruit.
4. Help you sleep better
Want more restful sleep? Add cherry juice to your diet. Cherries contain melatonin, a hormone that synchronizes your body’s adrenal and digestive systems, balancing your circadian rhythms and helping your body regulate sleep.[10] [11] In a study of volunteers who drank tart cherry juice concentrate for a week, participants reported that they slept longer and better than participants who were given a placebo.[12]
5. Support mood
Cherries can have the same relaxing effect as a turkey dinner. The tryptophan in turkey is an essential player in your body’s process of making serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can help improve your mood and memory. Cherries contain both tryptophan and serotonin, giving them extra power to balance brain function and your overall mental health. A study of cherries grown in Spain’s Jerte Valley found this variety to be a particular good source of tryptophan.[13]
6. Help balance blood sugar
Of all fruits, cherries rank as one of the lowest fruits on the glycemic index and in glycemic load. Cherries have a glycemic index of 22, which will raise your blood sugar about half that of an apple or orange. In comparison, pure sugar ranks at 100. This means cherries won’t spike your blood sugar as much as other fruits. Maintaining stable blood sugar is a lifestyle factor that reduces your risk of insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes.[14]
Related: This Is Your Brain on Sugar (Trust Us, It’s Not Pretty)
Cherries make a satisfying, healthful dessert
Fresh, dried or frozen, you can keep cherries in your kitchen all year round. Canned cherries, while convenient, often contain added sugar or fewer vitamins and minerals. Instead, try cherries in these forms:
- Fresh: Get them at your farmer’s market for the best flavor straight off the tree. To keep them longer, store them in a paper bag in the fridge. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat them.
- Dried: Find dried cherries in your grocery store’s bulk foods section. The flavor is concentrated and gives a sweet-tart pop to salads, trail mix or cookies. It’s easy to go overboard with dried fruits. Watch out for added sugars or oils, such as vegetable or canola oil, and limit your serving size.
- Frozen: For a popular, simple, satisfying dessert, try a cup of frozen cherries. As they melt in your mouth, the flavor fills your tongue with sweet-tart goodness. You can find frozen cherries at your local grocery store, or freeze them yourself — find out how to do it below.
Delicious cherry recipes
- How to freeze cherries: Remove the pits and stems, then wash them and pat them dry. Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer. When they’re frozen, slide them into a bag, seal it, and label it with the date. Eat them all within a year (which won’t be hard to do).
- Triple Chocolate Cherry Protein Shake: Treat yourself to antioxidant-rich cherries, plus Chocolate Collagen Protein and a crumbled Fudge Brownie Collagen Protein Bar.
- Chocolate Cherry Fat Bombs (Create Mindfully): This vegan, keto-friendly fat bomb recipe is a satisfying snack that doubles as a dessert.
However you add cherries to your diet, you can do it with the confidence that you’re packing in more vitamins and nutrients your body needs. That’s one sweet benefit.
— Update: 10-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article 8 Incredible Benefits of Black Cherry Juice from the website www.organicfacts.net for the keyword benefits of black cherries.
Drinking black cherry juice may cause your mouth to pucker, but it can also deliver a wealth of nutrients and potential health benefits.
What is Black Cherry Juice?
Black cherry juice is derived from the black cherry (Prunus serotina), which is a member of the rose family and is native to North and South America. It has since been introduced around the world as an ornamental tree. When mature and in bloom, a black cherry tree produces beautiful, small white flowers. The black cherry tree produces small, dark red or purple fruit with large stones in the center. The juice of the black cherry has long been used in traditional medicines for diseases of inflammation, such as gout. However, modern research has found several other medical benefits of this popular summer fruit. [1]
Read more Benefits of Cherries: Weight Loss, Gout Healing & Less Inflammation!
Benefits of Black Cherry Juice
The top benefits of black cherry juice include its ability to relieve symptoms of arthritis, treat gout, lower inflammation, boost heart health, improve sleep, and prevent signs of aging.
Black cherry juice has a high antioxidant content. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Prevents Gout
Black cherry juice is most frequently recommended for the treatment of gout, which is a form of arthritis where uric acid crystals build up around sensitive joints, causing inflammation and pain. Drinking it every day has been shown to reduce that uric acid build-up, which can prevent outbreaks of gout.
Anti-Inflammatory Nature
In addition to gout, black cherry is effective in reducing inflammation from other forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Black cherries are rich in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that helps block certain enzymes that cause inflammation. [2]
Rich in Antioxidants
Anthocyanins have also been found to prevent high blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular disease and prevent obesity.
Promotes Good Sleep
This tart juice contains serotonin, which not only helps you fall asleep but also increases overall sleep quality.
Heart Health
The melatonin in black cherries lowers blood lipid levels, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Great for Working Out
Black cherry juice can help repair muscle damage after strenuous exercise and boosts metabolism, making your workouts have more of an impact! [3]
Anti-Aging
The antioxidants in this juice also help prevent age-related eye damage and keep your skin looking healthy and clear, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. [4]
Hair Care
Finally, the high iron content of black cherry juice can prevent hair loss and strengthen hair follicles, keeping you looking younger for longer!
Side Effects
Drinking excess black cherry juice may cause side effects that include indigestion and other gastrointestinal issues.
- Digestion: Consuming excessive black cherry juice can lead to diarrhea, indigestion, and gastrointestinal issues. Black cherries contain sorbitol, which may exacerbate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
- Diabetes: The juice contains natural sugars. Also, most fruit juices sold contain added sugars. People with diabetes should exercise caution while drinking this juice. It is best to consume the unsweetened version.
- Interactions with other medications: Patients who take sedatives or who are on medication for high cholesterol, allergies, fungal infections, or cancer should check with their doctor before using black cherry juice as a supplement.
— Update: 10-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article The Many Health Benefits of Dark Sweet Cherries from the website www.fruitsmart.com for the keyword benefits of black cherries.
If you have had the pleasure of eating a bowl full of dark sweet cherries straight off the tree, you know there are few greater culinary pleasures in life. These stone fruits are some of the most nutritious and beneficial fruits you can eat. Though a few too many servings of cherry pie may add to the waistline, fresh cherries eaten raw or thrown in a fruit salad are surprisingly good for you.
Rainier and bing cherries are the two most common cherry varieties eaten in the United States. Though these sweet, delicious fruits are often dark red in color, they can range from yellow to black, hitting nearly every shade in between.
Are Dark Sweet Cherries the Same as Tart Cherries?
Cherries are often lumped into two groups based on their predominant flavor, with sweet cherries and tart cherries being the two main groups. Despite the differences in flavor, both groups of cherries are especially nutritious and are great sources of dietary fiber and important vitamins and minerals like potassium and vitamin C.
Tart cherries are different from sweet cherries when it comes to some of the health benefits they provide. For example, some studies have suggested that tart cherry juice and juice concentrates can help speed muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. Sleep studies have also been done using tart cherry juice to evaluate changes in melatonin levels, sleep quality, and sleep duration.
In other areas, such as heart health, there is less difference between the benefits of sweet and tart cherries. Many of the benefits, including those derived from the cherry’s high levels of anthocyanins, are linked to the dark red color of the fruit itself, which is present in all flavors of cherry.
Are Dark Sweet Cherries Healthy?
Fresh cherries of any color are very healthy. When preserved as all-natural frozen fruit, cherries can maintain much of their nutritional benefit. As a good source of dietary fiber, cherries are a great way to get your daily value of fiber while also gaining the anti-inflammatory benefits of the powerful antioxidants cherries possess.
Like many other dark red fruits and vegetables, both tart and dark sweet cherries are rich in anthocyanins, polyphenol compounds that have been discovered to have a wide range of health benefits. These compounds are found in other fruits such as cranberries, raspberries, and blueberries, all of which are known to be extremely good for you. Anthocyanins have been found to help reduce your chances of cancer and heart disease, and have been shown to help regulate a variety of other metabolic processes throughout the body.
One of the most important of these benefits is the reduction in oxidative stress that is associated with long-term chronic diseases such as heart disease and hypertension. Arthritis and gout are also on the list of diseases that cherries may help fight by depressing levels of uric acid and helping to quell inflammation.
Relatively low in carbs and total fat, cherries are high-quality sources of many different nutrients while still being relatively low in natural sugars. A quick list of some of the most important nutrients found in cherries includes:
- vitamin C
- calcium
- manganese
- copper
- magnesium
- vitamin K
- potassium
Many different fruits and vegetables may be packed with nutrients if eaten fresh, but some fruits, like dark sweet cherries, have a short harvest season. That means for most people, and for most of the year, the health benefits of cherries are only going to come from frozen or fruit, or by drinking cherry juices and concentrates.
Cherries for More than Just Flavor
At FruitSmart, we know that careful attention to detail is needed in the processing of any fruit to maintain as high a level of nutrition as possible in the juices, concentrates, dried fruits, and other products we offer.
Nutrition is important if you are going to be bringing almost any product to market today, but flavor is important as well. No matter how health conscious consumers get, no one is going to buy food if they don’t like the flavor. This has put food producers in a bind in recent years as consumer pushback against artificial additives, flavors, and colorants have sent food manufacturers searching for new ways to get the great taste people demand into their products.
FruitSmart essences, concentrates, and purees can all be great ways to bring the flavor of cherries into the recipes and products you depend on to bring your customers back time and time again. Our all-natural products are made to the highest standards to ensure the maximum amount of flavor and color found in the fresh version of our fruits can be retained for use in your products in as many ways as possible.
If you have been looking to change your products to keep up with the clean label trend that has only strengthened in the last year, partnering with FruitSmart could be the answer you are looking for. More than just giving out free samples, we work with both new and established partners to see what possibilities exist to bring out the best flavors, colors, and nutritional value our many products can provide. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
— Update: 14-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article Benefits of Cherries: Weight Loss, Gout Healing & Less Inflammation! from the website draxe.com for the keyword benefits of black cherries.
Cherries are popular because of their sweet and juicy characteristics, but more and more research suggests that cherries are extremely beneficial to your health too. So what are the benefits of cherries, and what makes them so beneficial?
The nutrients and bioactive components in cherries support their preventive health benefits. A 2018 review of the health benefits of cherries published in the journal Nutrients summarized the results of 29 published human studies that examined the positive effects of cherry consumption. Researchers found that eating cherries and products made with cherries decreased oxidative stress, inflammation, exercise-induced muscle soreness and loss of strength, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, arthritis symptoms, and loss of sleep. (1)
The benefits of cherries come from their high levels of antioxidants that fight free radical damage and protect our cells. Recent research also indicates that cherries help remove excess body fat and increase melatonin. This supports a healthy sleep cycle.
Read more 10 Benefits of Jumping Jacks & How to do a Jumping Jack
Next time you roam the aisles of the grocery store, pick up some fresh, frozen or dried cherries and reap their many health benefits. They taste great and pack a nutritional punch too.
What Are Cherries?
The cherry is a fruit of the genus There are two well-known types of cherries. These include the species derived from the Prunus avium (the sweet or wild cherry) and those derived from the Prunus cerasus (the sour cherry).
These edible cherries are distinguished by their flower clusters and smooth fruit. They’re native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with two species in America, three in Europe and the remainder in Asia.
Irrigation, spraying, labor and their tendency to damage from rain and hail make cherries relatively expensive, but demand is still high for the fruit. The peak season for cherries is the summer months. In many parts of North America, they’re among the first tree fruits to ripen, while in Australia and New Zealand cherries are widely associated with Christmas because they peak in late December.
In the United States, most sweet cherries are grown in Washington, California, Oregon, Wisconsin and Michigan. Sour cherries are grown in Michigan, New York, Utah and Washington.
Benefits
1. Promote Weight Loss
Not only are cherries low in calories, but research suggests that they help reduce the concentration of fats in your blood too.
In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Medical Food, rats that received whole tart cherry powder for 90 days, mixed into a high-fat diet, didn’t gain as much weight or build up as much body fat as rats that didn’t receive cherries. Tart cherry intake was associated with reduced concentration of fats in the blood, percentage fat mass and abdominal fat weight. (2)
The rats’ blood showed much lower levels of inflammation, which has been linked to diseases like heart disease and diabetes. By consuming tart cherry juice or a cherry supplement, you reduce inflammation and lipids in the blood, which lead to heart conditions and weight gain.
2. Boost Heart Health
The antioxidants found in cherries are known to improve cardiovascular health. Research done at the University of Michigan suggests that tart cherries provide cardiovascular benefits and can reduce the risk of stroke. The study showed that tart cherries activate peroxisome proliferator activating receptors (PPARs) isoforms in many of the body’s tissues.
PPARs regulate genes that are involved in fat and glucose metabolism, and when modified they can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are prescribed medications that do the same thing, but they come with serious side effects, such as heart attack and stroke. (3)
Research also suggests that the anthocyanins and fiber in cherries contribute to heart health by reducing metabolic risk factors, improving LDL cholesterol levels and benefiting glucose metabolism. (4)
3. High Source of Antioxidants
Anthocyanins and cyanidin are two components of cherries that provide powerful antioxidants. Their presence help make cherries a high-antioxidant food. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Natural Products found that the anthocyanins and cyanidin isolated from tart cherries exhibited better anti-inflammatory activity than aspirin. (5)
Anthocyanins from sour cherries have been shown to not only possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, but to inhibit tumor development in mice and the growth of human colon cancer cell lines. The body uses antioxidants to prevent itself from the damage caused by oxygen, which plays a major role in diseases today and has been linked to health conditions like cancer, heart disease and dementia. (6)
Another one of the benefits of cherries is they fight free radicals that damage the eyes. Macular degeneration and glaucoma are caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Macular degeneration is age-associated vision loss and blurry vision related to damage to the macula, or center of the eye. It can eventually affect one’s ability to read and perform many everyday tasks.
Glaucoma is caused by a buildup of fluid in the eye that puts pressure on the optic nerve, retina and lens. The pressure can permanently damage the eye if not treated. Cherries serve as a natural treatment for macular degeneration and natural treatment for glaucoma because of their powerful antioxidants that help prevent eye damage.
Because cherries are rich in vitamin C, they can improve the health of your skin. Benefits of cherries for skin include their ability to reduce inflammatory conditions that affect your skin, improve elasticity and reduce signs of aging. (7)
4. Treat Gout
Gout is a painful, arthritic condition mainly afflicting the big toe. The big toe becomes stiff, inflamed and painful as a result of excess uric acid. This leads to crystals formed in joints. These high levels of uric acid are called hyperuricemia, and the pain comes from the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response to the crystals. High uric acid levels can lead to more serious health issues, such as diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease.
A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism evaluated 633 individuals with gout who were treated with cherry extract over a two-day period. This cherry treatment was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of gout attacks. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, a prescribed medication for gout and kidney stones, the risk of gout attacks was 75 percent lower. So you might want to add cherries to your gout diet for instant relief. (8)
5. Reduce Inflammation
Cherries are one of the top anti-inflammatory foods. A study published in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition evaluated cherries’ ability to reduce muscle damage and pain during strenuous exercise. In the study, 54 healthy runners ran an average of 16 miles over a 24-hour period. Participants drank 355-milliliter bottles of tart cherry juice or a placebo cherry drink twice daily for seven days prior to the event and on the day of the race. (9)
While both groups reported increased pain after the race, the cherry juice group reported a significantly smaller increase in pain compared to the placebo group. This is thought to be because of the anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries. The post-run muscle pain was minimized because the cherries were able to reduce inflammation.
Another study published in the Journal of Nutrition evaluated 10 healthy women ages 22–40. The women consumed two servings of sweet cherries after an overnight fast. The blood and urine samples that were taken before and after the cherry dose indicate that cherries decreased inflammation, inhibited inflammatory pathways and lowered plasma urate. Plasma urate is the salt derived from uric acid. (10)
6. High in Potassium
A cup of cherries fulfills about 9 percent of your recommended daily value of potassium. While you snack on this delicious potassium-rich food, you feed your body a required mineral for the function of several organs. Potassium is vital for the heart, kidneys, brain and muscular tissues.
Potassium reduces the risk of stroke, alleviates hypertension and high blood pressure, reduces muscle cramping and improves muscle strength. (11)
Plus, cherries are beneficial during pregnancy because they provide potassium, which is needed to help keep your fluid and chemical balance as your blood volume expands.
7. Treat Osteoarthritis
The most common type of arthritis impacting 33 million American adults is osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease. It occurs when the cartilage between the bones and the joint wears down. This allows the bones to rub together rather than giving them the protection and cushion from cartilage.
A study done at the Osteoarthritis Research Center evaluated 58 non-diabetic patients with osteoarthritis who drank two eight-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice daily for six weeks. As a result of the study, Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (known as WOMAC) scores decreased significantly after the tart cherry juice treatment. High sensitivity scores also declined after the cherry treatment. This suggests that the tart cherry juice provided symptom relief for patients with osteoarthritis. (12)
A 2015 study published in the journal Cell Stress & Chaperones found that when 20 osteoarthritis patients received sour topical cherry seed extract, which is a major protectant against oxidative stress, they experienced significantly less joint pain. (13)
8. Help Sleep Cycle
Tart cherry juice contains high levels of phytochemicals, including melatonin, a molecule critical in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. In a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, 20 volunteers consumed either a placebo or tart cherry juice concentrate for seven days. As a result of this treatment, total melatonin content was significantly elevated in the cherry juice group. (14)
Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland, a small gland in the brain. It helps control sleep and wake cycles. The cherry tart treatment also led to significant increases in time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency. This data suggests that tart cherry juice or supplements can benefit sleeping patterns and help people with disrupted sleep or those who can’t sleep.
Read more Walking Backwards on a Treadmill in Physical Therapy
Nutrition Facts
One of the benefits of cherries is that they’re a nutrient-dense food that’s rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, carotenoids and melatonin.
In addition, cherries are a high-fiber food and excellent vitamin C food source. Sweet cherries also have a lower glycemic index of 22, which is surprisingly lower than apricots, grapes, peaches, blueberries and plums.
One cup (approximately 138 grams) of sweet cherries has about: (15)
- 87 calories
- 22 grams carbohydrates
- 1.5 grams protein
- 0.3 gram fat
- 3 grams dietary fiber
- 10 milligrams vitamin C (16 percent DV)
- 306 milligrams potassium (9 percent DV)
- 0.1 milligram manganese (5 percent DV)
- 2.9 micrograms vitamin K (4 percent)
- 0.1 milligram copper (4 percent DV)
- 15.2 milligrams magnesium (4 percent DV)
- 0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (3 percent DV)
- 0.5 milligram iron (3 percent DV)
- 0.3 milligram pantothenic acid (3 percent DV)
- 29 milligrams phosphorus (3 percent DV)
- 17.9 milligrams calcium (2 percent DV)
- 88 international units vitamin A (2 percent DV)
Uses in Traditional Medicine
Cherries are known for their warming properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are used to build qi, boost blood circulation, improve skin health and relieve exhaustion and fatigue.
They are believed to help build blood, which can benefit health conditions that require cleansing or detoxification. These conditions include diabetes and inflammatory conditions. The cherry is also used to strengthen the spleen, relieve digestive issues like diarrhea, rejuvenate the body and stimulate appetite.
One of the most powerful benefits of cherries is its high antioxidant content. This is recognized by practitioners of traditional medicine and used to help patients with conditions related to inflammation, including gout, arthritis and fibromyalgia.
The melatonin in cherries is also valued for its ability to induce a feeling of calmness and help relieve insomnia, headaches and irritability.
Cherries vs. Grapes vs. Cranberries
Cherries, grapes and cranberries have similar nutrition profiles and share some health benefits too. Here’s a quick breakdown of their similarities and differences:
Cherries
- Cherries are a fruit of the genus Prunus. There are two types of cherries: sweet cherries and sour cherries.
- Peak season for cherries is in the summer months.
- Cherries are rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, and they are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.
- Cherry nutrition includes a good amount of dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium.
- The health benefits of cherries include its ability to improve cardiovascular health, relieve inflammatory conditions, reduce pain from inflammation, improve sleep and promote weight loss.
Grapes
- Grapes are considered part of the berry family, and they belong to the genus Vitaceae.
- The kind of grapes that we eat or use in recipes are called “table grapes.” There are also wine grapes and raisin grapes.
- Grape season is long — lasting from May to October, with fall the peak season.
- Like cherries, grapes are loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants, including flavonoids.
- Grapes nutrition also includes micronutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C and copper.
- Because grapes are full of disease-fighting phytonutrients, they can help improve brain function, boost cardiovascular health and relieve inflammatory conditions.
Cranberries
- Cranberries are closely related to blueberries. Both fruits belong to the genus Vaccinium.
- Fall is the best time for cranberries, especially September and October.
- Like cherries and grapes, cranberries boast protecting phytonutrients and antioxidants that work to boost our overall health. In fact, cranberries have a higher score of antioxidant capacity than blueberries and strawberries, which are considered superfoods.
- Cranberries also contain micronutrients like vitamin C and manganese, and they provide a good amount of fiber.
- Cranberry nutrition contributes to the fruit’s health benefits. Those benefits include reducing the risk of heart disease, aiding digestion, improving immune function, treating UTIs and reducing inflammation.
How to Use
Cherries are widely available in grocery stores, especially when they are in season during the summer months. Off season, you can find frozen or dried cherries and cherry juice. One of the favorite varieties of cherries, called bing cherries, are only available in July. They are known to be the most delicious type of cherry because of their natural sweetness.
There are a ton of fun and healthy ways to use cherries. When they’re in season, the fresh fruit can be added to oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, salads, desserts, drinks and smoothies. They can also be eaten plain, of course. It’s easy to take out the pit of a cherry. Just use a knife, and cut the cherry in half — the pit will come right out.
The cherry season is short, so thankfully cherries freeze very well. You can keep cherries in the freezer for up to a year! Off season, you can also snack on dried cherries, which are great in grainless granola and oatmeal. Cherries can also be canned in water, apple juice, white grape juice or syrup.
How to Preserve Cherries
Get your hands on some fresh cherries during the summer months and make jams, jellies and preserves that you can enjoy all year long. The healthiest way to preserve cherries is in plain water. Cherries are sweet enough, so you don’t need extra sugar. Start by washing the cherries and pitting them. (You don’t have to pit them before jarring, but it makes them easier to eat later.)
Fill half of a jar with water, and then add your cherries. Keep tapping the jar on the counter to remove air bubbles. Then, add the rest of your water. Before putting the lid on, make sure the cherries are completely covered, and tap the jar a few more times.
To make a jam or jelly with cherries, use a saucepan to cook the cherries down over medium heat. Add a little water, and give them time to break down. If you want to add extra sweetness, use a bit of honey or maple syrup, which are both great natural sweeteners. You can also add spices that complement the taste of cherries, like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Cherry Recipes
An easy way to get cherries into your diet is with this Cherry Limeade Recipe. Because they are only in season from May to July, they can be hard to find in other months. This recipe calls for frozen cherries that can be bought year-round.
This Very Cherry Snack Bar is a great way to get kids the antioxidants that they need. It’s easy to make, and the kids love it! Plus, it has fiber, healthy fats and potassium.
Check out these healthy smoothie recipes. There are a ton of healthy and delicious ideas that allow you to mix it up throughout the week.
Another cherry recipe to try is this Quinoa Salad with Dark Cherries and Kale Recipe.
History
The sweet cherry has been consumed since prehistoric times. A cultivated cherry, as well as the apricot, was brought to Rome by Lucius Licinius Lucullus from northeastern Anatolia, which is historic Armenia, in 72 BC, according to records. By order of Henry VIII, who had tasted the cherry in Flanders, it was introduced into England at Teynham, near Kent.
Today, cherries are in demand. The cherry trees are actually difficult fruit trees to grow and keep alive because they don’t tolerate wetness. They’re also susceptible to several viruses, as well as bacterial canker, cytospora canker, brown rot, root rot and crown rot.
In commercial production, cherries are harvested by using a mechanized “shaker,” but handpicking is also widely used to harvest the fruit and avoid damage to the fruit and trees.
Related: Cherimoya Fruit for Digestion, Eye Health & More
Risks and Side Effects
Consuming sweet and tart cherries is completely safe for adults and children. They may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive.
There is not enough research to indicate if large doses for medicinal purposes are completely safe. If you consume large doses, or cherry supplements, inform your doctor and keep track of your bodily responses before continuing the treatment.
Consuming cherries is safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, but the safety of taking large doses for medicine is unknown because not enough research exists. There are no known cherry interactions at this time.
If you are thinking about feedings cherries to your dog, it’s not recommended it because they are known to cause gastrointestinal upset in pets.
Final Thoughts
- The cherry fruit, which comes from the genus Prunus, comes to two varieties: sweet and sour.
- The benefits of cherries are vast because of their antioxidant content. They are known to reduce inflammatory conditions and oxidative stress.
- They have a lower glycemic index, provide three grams of fiber per cup and are low in calories.
- As a source of antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium, this fruit boasts a number of health benefits, including:
- promoting weight loss
- boosting heart health
- treating gout
- reducing inflammation
- treating osteoarthritis
- aiding sleep
