What are the Health Benefits of Cherries?

There are a lot of fruits that are considered very nutritious these days. These fruits are nutritious in a sense that they can provide a lot of benefits to our health. One of these fruits is none other than the cherries. Cherries are usually used as an additional topping to desserts and other cocktail drinks. However, what we don’t know about cherries is that they also contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients that are very necessary for our body’s functioning. Cherries are in fact termed as super fruits due to their overwhelming amount of nutritional benefits. But what are the health benefits of cherries? Read on for us to find out.

The Wonderful Effects of Cherries

In recent studies, cherries are considered beneficial fruits to our health due to their high levels of antioxidants. Cherries are very convenient and easy to store and they can also be enjoyed all year long. There are actually two types of cherries namely the sweet cherries and the tart cherries. The sweet cherries are the one that we commonly see at the grocery stores. Sweet cherries are high in beta carotene, vitamin, iron, fiber, magnesium and potassium. These cherries are also very high in antioxidant concentrations. On the other hand, the latter type or the tart cherries are considered to be the sour version of the fruit. They, however, contain more vitamin C and beta carotene compared to the sweet cherries and are also lower in calorie content. Nevertheless, both types of cherries are considered wonderful fruits that are capable of providing a lot of nutritional benefits for the body.

Aside from the high nutrient value of cherries, one of the great benefits of this particular fruit is its capability of preventing cancer or malignant tissue growth. This is due to the high amount of antioxidants found in cherries such as the anthocyanins and the quercetin, which as types of flavonoids, and as well as the phenolic acid and amygdalin. In addition to these, cherries are also known to reduce pain and inflammation from certain types of diseases such as arthritis and gout. Other health benefits of cherries include the positive promotion of weight loss and as well as the prevention of diabetes and certain types of heart diseases. Regular consumption of this fruit can likewise reduce the level of cholesterol in the body and as well as regulate sleep and memory loss. Aside from the wonderful effects it can bring to our health, cherries are also very delicious. This is the reason why a lot of people include them in wide array of recipes, desserts and drinks. These are even great substitutes from the regular high calorie types of snacks such as chips and sugary candies. Cherries do not contain as many calories but are effective in providing natural boost of energy.

In addition to this, cherries can also be eaten in different forms. They can be consumed fresh or they can also be converted into a refreshing shake or juice. Cherries can also be frozen, dried, or canned without losing any of its nutritional value. In fact, cherries can also stay fresh inside the refrigerator for about a week and can be consumed for up to a year in the freezer.

Other Benefits of Cherries

Aside from the ones mentioned earlier, cherries are also known to have high water content, which can also prevent dehydration if eaten in large amounts. Cherries are also high in melatonin, which is an effective component in slowing the ageing process of a person. In addition to this, melatonin in cherries also helps in regulating the sleeping patterns of an individual, making it an effective fruits against insomnia.

Just like what is mentioned above, cherries are considered to be low in calories. A single cherry fruit only contains approximately 4 calories and a cup is roughly only 74 calories. Since it is high in water content, increasing the consumption of cherries can also improve or enhance the energy level of the body and as well as boost the metabolism. Their low calorie property makes cherries extremely diet friendly. So what are the other nutrients found in this type of fruit?

Cherries are high in ellagic acid, perillyl and other types of vitamins and antioxidants. Because of the presence of these nutrients, cherries are capable of easing the symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome and other metabolic diseases or problems in the body. As we can see, cherries are indeed very useful in providing us with optimum level of health. It is no wonder why many people consider this fruit as the super fruit. So in order for us to experience these wonderful effects to the body, let us try to include cherries in our daily menu. These are just some of the health benefits that we can get from this delicious and nutritious fruit.