Cherries have a number of health benefits
Cherries are in-season at the moment, so there’s one big reason to ensure you’re eating more of them. And here are some health reasons too.
They’ve been used medicinally for thousands of years, and it’s no wonder really.
It’s the little red fruit with a powerful health punch.
If you want to reduce inflammation associated with heart disease and arthritis, lower blood cholesterol levels, encourage restorative sleep, promote normal uric acid levels which can ease gout, build muscle strength, improve muscle recovery, encourage healthy joints and have lovely skin, Montmorency cherry juice could be the answer.
Tart Montmorency cherries are higher in antioxidants – which are increasingly recognised as vital to long term health and wellbeing - than any other fruit.
Health benefits of the Montmorency cherry
Aid muscle recovery
Research has found that the anti-inflammatory properties of tart cherries significantly reduces muscle pain following rigorous exercise. A study by the Oregon Health and Science University in America, showed that runners who drank tart cherry juice before a long-distance relay experienced less muscle pain after the race than those who drank a placebo. Recent research from London South Bank University also showed that after drinking cherry juice, athletes returned to 90 per cent of normal muscle force in 24 hours.
Help you sleep
Tart cherries are one of the very few known good food sources of melatonin, the chemical our brain needs to help regulate sleep, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the ageing process. Scientists at Northumbria University revealed that volunteers who drank tart Montmorency cherry juice received a significant boost to their levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. On average, their total sleep time increased by 25 minutes and their "sleep efficiency", a global measure of sleep quality, increased by five to six per cent.
Reduce gout
Drinking cherry juice has been shown to help lower blood uric-acid levels and reduce gout pain. The powerful anthocyanins in cherries reduce inflammation to ease joint pain as well as the effects of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It works by helping to dissolve the crystals of urate which can form around the joints and kidneys. Research by the Human Nutrition Research Centre at the University of California showed that women who consumed 280 grams of tart cherries showed an overnight 15 per cent reduction in uric acid levels.
Good skin
Drinking just one glass of tart cherry juice per day can slow the ageing process according to scientists from Michigan State University. They discovered that the Montmorency cherry has the highest antioxidant level of any fruit with 17 different antioxidant compounds present. Antioxidants are vital to helping the body to fight free radicals which makes us look old. Cherry juice is also recommended as an alternative treatment for other skin conditions including acne, rosacea and vulgaris. The juice is rich in vitamin A and its antibacterial properties remove toxins from the blood and fight bacteria trapped under the skin.
Lower body fat and protect the heart
Scientists at the University of Michigan showed that including cherries in the diet for 12 weeks can lower body fat by 9 per cent. This was particularly so in fat deposited around the waist area, which contributed most to heart disease risk. The study also revealed that a cherry-enriched diet may help reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol – both major risk factors for heart disease.
A useful diuretic
Cherries are an extremely effective diuretic – cherries have a reasonable potassium content and virtually no sodium.
Sex booster
Cherry juice is packed with vitamins A and C, which boost libido in men and women. Vitamin A increases testosterone and oestrogen levels, while vitamin C boosts sexual appetite and increases men’s semen volume.
Tagged in Nutrition Diet fruit Healthy eating Healthy Food