Cherries: One Of The Healthiest Superfoods With High Medicinal Value

Cherries are red juicy fruit with a great blend of sweet flavors with a tingle of sourness. They possess numerous qualities that have positive effects on our health. Both sweet and tart cherries have good amounts of vitamin C, potassium, copper, manganese, fiber, and protein as well as phytochemicals that contribute to its antioxidant activity.

Positive Effects Of Adding Cherries Into Our Diet

Helps Reduce Inflammation

Cherries contain antioxidants that are beneficial for good health as they help protect our cells from damage caused by oxidants, or free radicals. They are rich in anthocyanins and cyanidin, antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects that have been found to play a key role in managing inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Moreover, it can also protect metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Helps Lower The Risk Of Heart Disease

Cherries are rich in nutrients and compounds that are known to promote heart health – such as potassium and polyphenol antioxidants. A cup (154 grams) of pitted, sweet cherries can provide the body with 10% of the DV for potassium, a mineral that is essential for keeping your heart healthy.

In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Cardioprotection Research Laboratory, cherries have been found to possess cardiovascular health benefits. It can help reduce the risk of stroke and lower blood pressure even when they are taken with the prescribed medications.

Helps Lower The Risk Of Colon Cancer

According to The American Institute For Cancer Research (AICR), cherries contain dietary fiber that can help lower down our risk of colon cancer. In a study, researchers have found that a diet with cherries, anthocyanins, or cyaniding produced significantly fewer tumors compared to mice that were fed control diets. In the second study, the same diet for mice was in the same diet for humans and results revealed that sour cherry anthocyanins and cyaniding may reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Has Anti-Aging Properties

Cherries are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals which make the skin look dull. Consumption of this will give us a younger-looking and healthier skin. It helps in removing dark spots from the skin which are caused by too much exposure to sunlight. Simply puree some cherries and mix them with a pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey. Apply the mixture for 10-15 minutes to lessen dark spots and improve the skin tone.  Rinse well.

Helps Improve Sleep

Tart cherries have high levels of phytochemicals including melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in our natural sleep-wake cycle. These can provide some help for those who have trouble sleeping as it can improve sleep both in quality and duration, according to research by the European Journal of Nutrition.

Enjoy the multiple benefits of cherries by eating them fresh as a snack or adding them to fruit salads. We can also add frozen cherries to our favorite smoothies. Also, a bit of tart cherry juice to sparkling water can make a fun mocktail.