We love, love, love cherries from the bottom of our hearts. So
much, in fact, that we really agree that they are among our top 3
favorite fruits. They are so mouth-wateringly delicious, fresh and sweet
that we have every reason to be as obsessed with them as we are. One of
the best aspects of cherries is that they can be equally enjoyed raw or
in the form of juice, sauce, tarts, salsa, pie and many more. The great
news is that we are in full cherry season and we can enjoy these ripe
fruit delicacies as we please. Little do people know that, in addition
to their irresistable taste and aroma, these tiny red bulbs of happiness
conceal a wide range of health benefits. You will be delightfully
surprised to find out that cherries aid in overcoming various types of
disease and are so powerful that they can even help prevent cancer (!).
Instead of reaching for that bar of chocolate when you are in the mood
for a sweet treat, consider grabbing a bowl of fresh cherries and
enjoying all of their wonderful properties. Without further ado, here
are the top 12 health benefits of cherries. Enjoy!
1. Prevent Cancer
First and foremost, we cannot talk about the health benefits of
cherries without considering their power to protect you from developing
cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research states that cherries
are particularly great for preventing the development of colon cancer,
thanks to their high levels of dietary fiber. This is because dietary
fibers do exactly what you may suppose they would: help you avoid
becoming overweight (hence “dietary”). This is a very significant trait,
as excess pounds have proven to be a key factor in developing numerous
forms of cancer (seven, to be precise).
2. Relieve Arthritis Pain
Patients who suffer from arthritis known that the joint pain involved
can become really unbearable. The good news for people who fall under
this category is that cherries are blissfully loaded with
anti-inflammatory properties that help reveal that searing pain in their
joints. Studies show that especially tart cherry juice is effective
when it comes to arthritis, so it is best that you consume it as often
as possible if you find yourself in this situation. Additionally,
cherries also aid in combating a large series of other inflammatory
conditions. According to the specialized website Medical Daily,
“cherries have a high ORAC value, which helps lower circulating factors
that cause inflammation, like C-reactive protein (CPR) produced by the
liver).
3. Protect Your Heart
One of the most amazing health benefits of cherries is that they can
protect your heart from cardiovascular disease. This means that
regularly eating cherries can help you avoid a potentially fatal stroke.
Studies show that sour cherries especially have a positive effect on
your heart. Dr. Joseph Mercola states in an article that “consuming tart
cherries may activate PPAR (peroxisome proliferator activating
receptors) in your body’s tissues, which help regulate genes involved in
fat and glucose metabolism. This activation may help to lower your risk
of heart disease, and research suggests eating cherries may provide
similar heart benefits to prescription drugs called PPAR agonists”. The
facts are pretty clear, cherries really can help you avoid heart
problems.
4. Manage & Prevent Diabetes
Care2.com informs us that “sweet cherries have a lower glycemic index
of 22, lower than apricots (57), grades (46), peaches (42), blueberries
(40) or plums (39).” This means that patients suffering from diabetes
should really consider incorporating more cherries into their diet. Even
more so, research proves that the anthocyanin antioxidant found in
cherries greatly supports the production of insulin. This is the same
antioxidant that gives cherries their bright red hue. If you or a loved
one is a diabetes patient, snack on cherries often to manage the disease
(or prevent it altogether, if it is the case).
5. Enjoy Antioxidants
In addition to anthocyanin, cherries are also rich in the cyanidin
antioxidant. Tart cherries, in particular, are high in cyanidins that
work wonders for the human body. Furthermore, one of the most powerful
antioxidants that science knows of is actually found in sweet cherries:
quercetin. The high levels of antioxidants in cherries make them the
ideal partner for battling disease and staying healthy. Thanks to these
antioxidants, cherries provide all of the health benefits included on
this list.
6. Relieve & Prevent Muscle Pain
We all know what it feels like to have muscle soreness after an
intense workout at the gym. The following day you feel as if you had
previously been run over by a truck and your entire body aches. Why not
avoid the whole mess in the first place by enjoying a healthy a
delicious fruit? You heard us right, countless cases have proven that
cherries can be exceptional for relieving and preventing muscle pain.
The key is to drink sour / tart jerry juice before beginning your
exercise session and your body will not experience as much strain and
pain as usual.
7. Control Blood Pressure
As if all of these awesome health benefits were not enough, you
should know that cherries also can help you control your blood pressure,
especially the sweet variety. This is all thanks to the fact that they
are packed with potassium, an essential element for reducing blood
pressure naturally. Potassium works great with calming the contrary
affects that sodium has regarding blood pressure. This results in aiding
hypertensive patients with their blood vessel problems.
8. Sleep Well
One of the greatest problems in modern day society, after stress, is
insomnia. The latter is actually caused by the former and that is how
more and more individuals find themselves having trouble getting a good
night’s sleep. The fantastic news is that cherries are loaded with
melatonin, the natural substance that your brain produces in order to
rest well. This means that cherries enhance your intake of melatonin so
you won’t have to complain about insomnia anymore. If you eat cherries
or drink roughly one glass of cherry juice an hour before you go to bed
at night, you will likely enjoy deep, smooth and resting sleep.
9. Get Rid of Belly Fat
We really love it when we find a super food that helps us lose
weight. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t want to get rid of extra pounds by
eating? Scientific studies show that cherries can, in fact, help you
lose that belly fat you find oh so annoying. The best kind of cherries
for this objective is tart or sour cherries. Researches have conducted
experiments on rats in which the results were quite stunning. Make sure
that you don’t rely on cherries alone for losing weight, though. Combine
them with working out and you will truly see a difference. Take in more
cherries and get rid of that belly fat!
10. Prevent Gout
Saying that gout is dreadfully painful would be a complete
understatement. Gout attacks may seem like a nightmare come true for the
person undergoing them, with horribly swollen toes and incredible pain.
In order to avoid these gout attacks, you can eat cherries and enjoy
bewildering results. When we say bewildering, we mean it. According to
the Huffington Post, “A 2012 study published in Arthritis &
Rheumatism found that patients with gout who consumed cherries over a
two-day period (yes, just two days!) showed a 35% lower risk of gout
attacks compared to their fruit wary counterparts”. If that is not
amazing, we don’t know what is.
11. Enhance Your Memory
Do you sometimes experience problems with your memory? No need to
fear, cherries are here! Possibly one of the most ingenious health
benefits of cherries is the power to enhance both your memory and motor
skills. This is all owing to the anthocyanin antioxidant we were
speaking about earlier regarding diabetes. Yep, the same super hero
antioxidant that helps you prevent and maintain diabetes is actually the
same one that helps you out with your memory. Now that’s some food for
thought, literally!
12. Healthy Snack
All in all, you have to admit that cherries act as an appetizing
snack. You can have all of the potato chips or popcorn in the world and
it still wouldn’t even come close to comparing to a handful of freshly
washed ripe cherries. The great thing about cherries is that their two
main varieties (sweet and sour) allow all sorts of individuals to enjoy
them, according to their preferences. If you don’t have that much of a
sweet tooth, you can juice some tart cherries for a refreshing drink. If
you love getting a sugar rush every now and then, snack on sweet
cherries as much as you please. Besides being a super healthy snack,
cherries add an incomparable flavor to pastries and even home cooked
meals in the form of sauce. Honestly, our mouths have already started
watering, so we are going to grab a bag of cherries and enjoy all of
their excellent health benefits. How about you?
