Top 5 Benefits of Cherries for Your Health

Cherries are one of the most delicious fruits available, and they're packed with nutrients to boot. Packed full of antioxidants and other healthy compounds, cherries can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and more. Here are the top five benefits of cherries and what you can do to get them into your diet every day!

 

 1) Rich in Antioxidants 

Cherries contain anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids, both powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that help your body in fighting free radicals, which are oxygen molecules with unpaired electrons. Free radicals contribute to premature aging and disease by damaging cells and cell membranes. However, antioxidants can help neutralize these harmful molecules and slow down or prevent further damage. In addition to cherries, other antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, pomegranates, apples, red grapes and red cabbage. 

 2) Rich in Vitamin C 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that plays a role in immunity, vision and healthy skin. If you’re trying to lose weight or stay healthy, it’s important to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin C each day. One cup of pitted fresh cherries contains 87.9 milligrams (mg) of Vitamin C, which is 15 percent of your daily value. That’s more than half your recommended daily intake in just one cup! To improve your diet and get rid of some fat around your midsection, incorporate more foods high in Vitamin C into your diet. Berries like raspberries and blackberries are good options as well as bell peppers and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit. 

 3) Weight Loss Aid 

Consuming cherries has been shown to help people shed a few pounds. Researchers in Germany studied nearly 2,000 men and women ages 20 to 79 who drank cherry juice daily for three months. The result? Those who regularly consumed tart cherry juice lost about 1.5 pounds more than those who didn't. They also felt less hungry before meals, which may have helped them avoid snacking between meals. Aside from aiding weight loss, cherries are also packed with anti-inflammatory agents that can ease joint pain in arthritis sufferers; antioxidants that slow aging and reduce your risk of heart disease; calcium that keeps bones strong; and plant compounds called anthocyanins, which may be responsible for cherry's anti-cancer powers. 

 4) Prevents Memory Loss 

If you want to reduce your risk of memory loss as you age, reach for a handful of cherries. Research has shown that eating tart cherries can help improve cognitive function and brain health. In fact, according to a study conducted by Michigan State University, rats who were fed tart cherry extract showed an improvement in memory retention and communication compared to rats not given cherry extract. While scientists aren’t sure exactly how cherries help prevent mental decline, they believe it could be due to anthocyanins — an antioxidant found in dark red fruit like cherries that has been shown to fight inflammation and oxidative stress. 

 5) Healthy Bones 

As far as I know, no one has ever claimed that cherries are a magical solution to your bone health. But that doesn’t mean they can’t help. A recent study found that eating two servings of tart cherries each day over a 14-day period could improve markers of bone formation and resorption—which is exactly what you want if you have osteoporosis or are at risk for it. Cherry consumption may also be useful in helping older women manage their overall weight, since researchers have discovered a strong correlation between obesity and accelerated bone loss.