Cherries are a stone fruit that flourish in temperate environments. They predominantly come in sweet and sour varieties. Cultivation has boosted their diversity tenfold. Not only are they delicious but there’re many health benefits of cherries.
In this guide i have covered 5 key health benefits of cherries, that will inspire you’ll to add them to your diet.
Anti-oxidative
Oxidative stress is linked to multiple chronic diseases and premature ageing. Free radicals are molecules containing oxygen that have an uneven number of electrons.
It is this uneven number that allows them to easily react with other molecules. Antioxidants work by ‘donating’ electrons to the free radicals, stabilizing them as a result. This reduces the level of oxidation.
Moderate and Improve Sleep Quality
One thing that may not be immediately thought of regarding cherries is the fact that they contain melatonin. According to the linked study this improvement in sleep may be as much due to the reduction in oxidative stress as it is the presence of melatonin.
Not only does drinking cherry juice before bed help to lengthen the amount of sleep possible, it also improves the efficiency of the sleep as well.
Melatonin regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle and has a high concentration of plant compounds. Sleep plays a massive part in health as it helps to regulate the biological mechanisms of the body
Bolster Heart Health
Cherries are dense with nutrients and that improve heart health. One such micro nutrient is polyphenol which assists in the regulation of the heart. Even just one cup of cherries is 10% of the recommendation for potassium.
This is related to the polyphenol activity which includes fighting cellular damage, reducing the level of inflammation and promoting health.
Cherries also contain anthocyanins that protect against cell damage and reduce inflammation. It is anthocyanins that give cherries their red pigment.
Beneficial for Weight Loss
When it comes to calorie content, cherries are low in calories and rich in vitamins. They can also assist in strengthening and regulating the metabolism.
In addition, they have a moderate water content which helps to flush toxins from the body. Weight loss also plays into the other health benefit that cherries have of helping to control diabetes.
Control Diabetes
Cherries are ranked low on the Glycemic Index. This means that they do not contain a high level of carbohydrates. It is the quantity of carbohydrates in particular foods that has an impact on blood sugar level.
As cherries have a low level of carbohydrates in them, they don’t trigger fluctuations in the form of crashes and spikes.
This means that they can be included as part of a healthy diet that won’t cause hypo- or hypeglycaemia as a side effect of their consumption.
This list isn’t exhaustive as there’re many health benefits of cherries.
Cherries also have an anti-carcinogenic effect and by repairing cellular damage, they can assist in the post-workout recovery of professional athletes and non-athletes alike.
Whether it is as a juice or a cup of berries in the morning and evening, cherries are ideal portion-able fruits to eat if you want to improve your health in multiple ways.