Cherries - A Sweet and Healthy Treat From Nature!

These cherry crops have been a delicious, sweet summer fruit with bright red berries and a juicy taste that caught the imagination of many. They also contain nutrients that serve as a nutrition powerhouse. We have loved them for their sweet flavour and natural healing properties for thousands of years. Tiny round fruits are ]full to the brim with both! Why You Need to Eat More Cherries?

Nutritional Profile

While cherries have little or no calories, they contain various vitamins and minerals that benefit your health. A cup of cherries - approximately 138 grams with pits contains:

• Calories: 87

• Protein: 1.5 grams

• Fibre: 2.9 grams

Vitamin C — 16% of the Daily Value (DV)

• Potassium: 10% of the DV

• Copper: 5% of the DV

• Manganese: 5% of the DV

They also provide less B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin K.

Health Benefits

1. Antioxidant-rich: Cherries are a good source of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which give them their deep red colour. They contain compounds that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which may help lower the risk of certain chronic diseases.

2. Cherries contain excellent anti-inflammatory properties, as the antioxidants in cherries are specific types of plant compounds that have been shown to fight inflammation. This is especially beneficial for those with arthritis and any other inflammatory conditions.

3. Your Bed Partner: very few raw materials can give you a good night's sleep, but cherry is one of the lucky things partnered with melatonin in your restocking cycle. While most cherries and cherry products are a good source of melatonin, consuming cherries or drinking juice may help improve sleep duration and quality.

4. Support Heart Health: Potassium in cherries helps blood pressure, and antioxidants could reduce heart disease risk factors like inflammation and cholesterol.

5. Exercise Recovery: A few studies hint that tart cherry juice may be beneficial in reducing muscle pain and accelerating recovery after a strenuous exercise.

6. Gout Management- Cherries are also linked to lower levels of uric acid in the blood, which may help protect against gout attacks among people with this painful condition.

7. Cancer-Reducing Properties: These are speculated and not yet proven by human testing. Given their antioxidant content, cherries may reduce the growth of cancer cells (15).

Types of Cherries

The two primary types of cherries are -

1. Varieties such as Bing, Rainier, and Lambert are bad boys of the sweet cherry castle. SWEET CHERRIES—Visually more prominent and with softer, sweeter flesh than sour cherries, sweet cherries are often eaten fresh; this is the type you'll see most commonly in grocery stores during cherry season.

2. Sour Cherries: These are fruits commonly used in cooking, with varieties like Montmorency. Bitter cherries are richer in antioxidants than sweet cherries.

How to Eat Cherries

The thing with cherries is they are a bit of everything;

• Eat them fresh as a snack

Mix them with yogurt, porridge, or cereals

Bake them in a pie, muffin, or cakes

• Blend them into smoothies

Toss them in salads for a sweet crunch • ⬆️

Tart Cherry Juice Ideas• Marinate beef, chicken, or pork in tart cherry juice • Use as part of the ingredient in BBQ sauce.

Storage and Seasonality

Cherries are in season from summer until autumn. When purchasing, make sure to get firm, shiny cherries with green stems. Please place them in the refrigerator and simply rinse them before eating. They will last for about a week.

Frozen cherries are also available and can be included throughout the year in various foods.

Conclusion

Beyond being a flavourful snack, cherries are an immunity booster and provide various health benefits. Small but mighty, these little fruits can help your heart recover after a workout and even improve sleep. There are more ways to enjoy cherries, whether fresh or frozen, sweet and tart - taking a part of your diet improves overall health. So, the next time you need a quick healthy snack or to add something nutritious to your meals, just pick up some cherries and experience nature's sweet treat!