All fruits are healthy and worth eating, but there’s one summer staple that has some pretty impressive health benefits. It’s a sweet cherry. (Think Bing cherries and Rainier cherries.)
These delicious little fruits have solid nutritional value, with just 1 cup providing 1.5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and tons of vitamins and nutrients. USDA. But there’s more to sweet cherries than that. These are thought to be associated with things like lower risk of oxidative stress (which could mean fewer wrinkles in the future) and improved sleep quality. Basically, sweet cherries are a delicious fruit that keeps on giving.
How to enjoy all the sweet cherries
“Sweet cherries are a surprisingly flavorful option when added to smoothies, yogurt parfaits, or fun salads,” says Beth Warren, MS, RD, author of Sweet Cherries. Live a real life with real food. You can also add them to cottage cheese, oatmeal, or baked goods, suggests author Keri Gans, MS, RD. small change diet.
If you’re not sure if you’ll be able to use up a bag of sweet cherries, consider freezing them. Samantha CassettiMSc, PhD, is a nutrition and health expert and co-author of the following books: sugar shock. Then heat it in a pan at the right time, add it to the bowl and add some chia seeds and cinnamon on top. Or simply pop it in your mouth and enjoy it as a cool snack on a hot day.
Health benefits of sweet cherries
Now let’s get back to those benefits. Here’s a breakdown of what sweet cherries can bring to your life. Of course, it’s not just about the deliciousness.
1. Effective in preventing wrinkles
Fact: Sweet cherries are rich in vitamin C (10 milligrams per cup, TYVM) and other antioxidants can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, Gans says. “At the cellular level, oxidative stress is a process that damages cells and, in some cases, even DNA,” he explains Cassetty. it is, A major role in the aging process And it can also cause fine wrinkles. Sure, there are plenty of things you can do to prevent premature wrinkles, like applying sunscreen regularly, but adding a sweet cherry to the mix definitely doesn’t hurt.
2. May help lower your risk of cancer.
This requires a little knowledge to understand. Sweet cherries contain polyphenols, which are beneficial compounds obtained from certain plant-based foods. Some studies suggest that these polyphenols may have anticancer effects.
One of the 2019 studies published in the journal nutrition and cancer When breast cancer cells were treated with dark sweet cherry extract in the lab, they found that cancer cell growth was inhibited by 50 percent.Another study published in Functional food journal In 2020, dark sweet cherry extract was discovered to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation.
“If you’re at risk for certain cancers, consuming a diet rich in antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, may help. These compounds can fight off free radicals that damage the body. Because of their gender,” Gans says. (For those who don’t know, what are free radicals? unstable atom Again, cherries alone are unlikely to eliminate cancer risk, but eating them regularly and in conjunction with other cancer-fighting lifestyle habits such as regular exercise and avoiding smoking can. may help lower the risk of
3. May lower blood pressure.
High blood pressure has a variety of effects, from increasing your risk of heart attack to increasing your chances of having a stroke. But sweet cherries contain some elements that may help lower your risk. It all goes back to polyphenols. “Sweet cherries are rich in protective polyphenolic compounds, which are associated with improved blood pressure levels,” Cassetti says. “These compounds increase the production of nitric oxide, which helps improve the function of the cells lining blood vessels.” This causes “blood vessels to widen and relax, so blood can flow more efficiently.” “This results in healthier blood pressure levels,” Cassetti added.
4. May lower risk of dementia.
Cognitive decline is one of those things you don’t really think about until you’re an adult, but what you do now can have an impact in the future. Sweet cherries contain anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol antioxidant that gives them their beautiful deep red color. “Many studies have linked improved brain function and memory to increased anthocyanin intake,” says Cassetti.
There are a few different things going on here. It reduces inflammation and combats oxidative stress in the brain, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, Cassetti explains. Basically, if you pop a sweet cherry in your mouth now, you may be able to lower your risk of developing brain disease in the future.
5. May lower your risk of heart disease.
this is, anthocyaninsays Cassetti. “Chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of plaque in the lining of blood vessels, reducing blood flow and causing arteriosclerosis,” she explains. “The antioxidants found in sweet cherries help keep blood vessels in a relaxed state and influence the process of widening them, resulting in healthier blood pressure levels.” Not only that, but inflammation levels Keeping it low also helps protect blood vessels from plaque that forms within them, she says. As a result, your risk of heart disease decreases.
of course, just Eating sweet cherries all day long does not increase your risk of heart disease. “For overall health and heart health, it’s also important to eat other nutritious whole foods, be active, get enough sleep, and find healthy ways to deal with stress. ” says Cassetti.
6. May help fight type 2 diabetes.
According to data, about 10.5 percent of Americans have diabetes, and 21 percent of them don’t know they have it. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, more than one in three Americans has prediabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar but not high enough to be classified as diabetes, and 84 percent of them don’t even know they have the condition. That’s what it means. CDC Say. Basically, there are a lot of people who have diabetes or are at high risk for diabetes and don’t know it.
A quick primer on type 2 diabetes, the most common type: In this disease, cells become resistant to insulin, which helps transport sugar into cells. CDC. The result is high blood sugar levels, which can lead to all sorts of health problems, including heart disease and kidney disease. PolyphenolSimilar to the compounds found in sweet cherries, “they have been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity, which means cells become more responsive to the effects of insulin and glucose is taken up by cells and used for energy.” “It’s going to make you feel better,” Cassetti said.
7. It may also help improve your sleep quality.
This is really great. Sweet cherries contain melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles. “When melatonin increases, you feel sleepy, but when melatonin decreases, it’s time to wake up,” Cassetti explains. Anything you do during the day can ruin the process, like not getting sunlight in the morning or using your phone too much before bed.
But adding more melatonin-rich foods like cherries to your diet is “a way to promote better sleep,” Cassetti says. Furthermore, she added:the study It is also possible that the antioxidants found in cherries may help combat oxidative stress and aid sleep, as studies suggest that people with insomnia have higher levels of oxidative stress. ”
Colin Miller is a freelance writer who lives near the beach. She has high hopes of owning a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
