Cherries offer a variety of health benefits due to their rich nutrient and antioxidant content. They are known to reduce inflammation, improve sleep, aid in exercise recovery, and potentially benefit heart health and joint pain relief.
Cherries are hailed as one of the healthiest of all fruits, and in fact, they are one of the healthiest foods overall. A single cup of this fruit or around 20 cherries has less than 90 calories, about 3 grams of fiber, and plenty of vitamin C (around 16 percent of the daily recommended intake). On top of all that, cherries are also packed with powerful antioxidants, potassium, and even melatonin. With so many valuable nutrients, it’s easy to see why cherries are such a healthy food choice.
If you suffer from arthritis, you know how debilitating the pain in your joints can be. The pain can become so unbearable that it can inhibit your ability to complete everyday tasks, such as walking and climbing stairs. That pain and the decrease in mobility can have a direct effect on your overall well-being, making you feel depressed and anxious. However, eating more cherries can prove to be an effective way to help alleviate the pain that is associated with arthritis.
That is because cherries contain tons of anti-inflammatory properties that have been proven to reduce arthritic joint pain. Tart cherries, in particular, have been found to drastically reduce inflammation in the joints, which is what leads to the pain that those with arthritis experience. So, make sure to add more cherries to your diet or drink natural cherry juice if you want to ease your pain.
Believe it or not, eating more cherries can help to stave off the development of certain types of cancer. In fact, the American Institute of Cancer Research has stated that cherries can have a profound impact on the prevention of the growth of tumors, particularly in the colon. That is because this fruit contains a high amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps to improve digestion and maintains health metabolism, thereby reducing the chances that you will develop cancer in the colon.
These fruits also contain a compound known as anthocyanins, which has been found to reduce the growth of cancer cells and encourages the self-destruction of these cells. Furthermore, the anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which lab studies have found to also have a positive effect on the prevention of not only colon cancer, but cancers of the larynx, lungs, mouth, and pharynx. So, if you want to reduce your risk of developing cancer, eat more cherries.
May prevent types 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is a chronic health condition. With this condition, the pancreas creates insulin, but the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin production properly, which results in what is known as insulin resistance. Cherries can help to combat the development of type 2 diabetes. They contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Even more importantly, cherries have a very low glycemic index, so they do not cause sharp increases and decreases in the blood glucose and insulin levels. As a result, this fruit serves as a protective agent against diabetes. It can also be a powerful way to manage the condition if you already have it.
If you are looking to shed a few pounds, you are definitely going to want to eat more cherries. Why? – Because they can help to reduce the levels of fat in your blood, which can have a direct impact on the amount of fat you store in your body overall.
If you are having difficulty fall asleep, then you might want to try eating more cherries. This fruit contains high amounts of several vital nutrients, including melatonin, a substance that is produced by the brain and helps to moderate the cycles of sleep and wakefulness. By eating more cherries, you can substantially increase your levels of melatonin, which will help you get a better night of sleep.
Several research studies found that cherries can reverse the effects of gout by reduce uric acid levels in the body. That is because of the powerful anti-inflammatory properties that this fruit contains. In one study, it was found that eating 20 cherries a day significantly reduced the incidence of gout flare-ups in those who participated in the study.
Cherries may be able to drastically improve the health of your heart. Furthermore, the high levels of antioxidants that cherries contain also contribute to improved heart health, as those antioxidants help to ward off various conditions that can affect your heart, such as high cholesterol. It was also found that eating more cherries can reduce the incidence of stroke.
While there is no cure for dementia and Alzheimer’s, it has been found that cherries can help prevent these degenerative conditions. Cherries contain powerful antioxidant compounds; one compound in particular – anthocyanins (which give the fruit their red color) can help to stave off dementia. That’s because antioxidants help to fight free radical damage. Damage caused by free radicals can have a profound impact on all parts of the body, including the brain, and have been linked to the development of dementia.
Cherries contain tons of powerful antioxidants that are effective for combating the oxidative stress caused by free radicals that impact your vision. In addition to all of these benefits, cherries can also help to maintain the right amount of ocular pressure, which can further prevent you from suffering from vision loss.
So cheers to cherries!
