Life is just a bowl of cherries. This adage must be true in the context of body and health. Several literatures have excluded cherry as a fruit that provides great health benefits to the human body. But numerous studies have been made with this sought-after fruit in a can of fruit cocktails, and it showed that cherries offer huge health benefits.

Cherries are from the genus Prunus. There are several species of Prunus, but the most common are the Prunus avium and the Prunus cerasus. These two species have been studied thoroughly for their health benefits. Prunus avium is wild or sweet cherry, while Prunus cerasus is tart cherry. Cherries and its red color have been found out to offer huge health advantages. Its nutrients alone are abundant. Aside from the macronutrients, cherries are also rich in vitamin A and C. A 100 gram of tart cherries can already provide 43 percent of the required daily value for vitamin A. Cherries also have folate, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamin K. It is rich in copper and all other minerals. But what are significant about cherries are the high amounts of phytonutrients it provides to the body. The studies of cherries’ health benefits are focused on the following issues:

1. It  helps deal with Arthritis

   In a study conducted by the Agricultural Research Services, cherries, especially the Bing cultivar, may help in dealing with the uncomfortable symptoms of arthritis. When a person has arthritis, or the inflammation of the joints, he will be experiencing swelling, warmness and pain. These are the major symptoms of inflammation and very uncomfortable at that. By eating large amounts of cherries, symptoms decline because of the anti-inflammatory effect of cherries. The anti-inflammatory effect is actually due to the decrease in the urate levels in the blood. Urates are chemically converted in the body to form uric acid crystals, and uric acid crystals, which migrate to the joints, are the cause of gout, a common type of arthritis. When urates are decreased, the chances of developing arthritis and experiencing its symptoms are decreased. By eating cherries regularly, arthritis and its symptoms are dealt with effectively.

2. It lowers risk of Heart diseases

   A research conducted at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, showed that rats which received ample amounts of cherries have lowered the molecules that causes inflammation to the heart. Additionally the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood have also lowered. Another finding is the tendency of the animal to have lower belly fats when dieting on cherries, compared to those who do not, with belly fats getting heavier. According to the studies, the phytonutrients to be implicated is the large amount of anthocyanin that can be found mostly at the red skin of cherries. When anthocyanin is in the body, it protects the cell from being damaged to oxidation. The ability of cherries to reduce the C-reactive protein in the body reduces the heart from damage and inflammation.

3. It Protects Against Cancer

   The rich phytonutrient content in cherries helps protect the body from developing cancer. Cherries’ leading phytonutrient is anthocyanin, which actually works as an antioxidant. Theories have it that when the cells are constantly subjected to degradation, in the case of the free radical’s activity within the body, the cells will mutate and become cancerous. Cherry is also rich in vitamin C, another antioxidant. As an antioxidant, vitamin C scavenges on the free radicals, the substances released during oxidative stress that causes damage to the healthy cells. Scavenging on free radicals will lower the chances of cancerous cells to develop, since the mutated cells will not be replaced constantly. But not only is cherry rich in vitamin C and anthocyanin, the fruit also contains ellagic acid, perillyl alcohol and limonene, potent substances that have demonstrated antioxidant qualities .So, basically, eating cherries in huge or enough amounts will prevent cancer from developing because of the decline in cell transmutation activity caused by the antioxidant compounds.

4. It serves as a Memory Booster

   Cherry has shown to have strong health benefits to the brain. Again, this is due to the phytonutrients found in cherries that prevents the cells from damage. In the case of brain health, diseases that are produced due to the degradation of the neurons are memory problems, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. If degradation of brain cells is only prevented, then memory problems are reduced. Yet cherries can do this task because of its antioxidant capacities, through anthocyanins and flavonols. By preventing the nerve cells from being engulfed by the toxins, memory is enhanced, memory problems are prevented.

5. It helps in diabetes management

   Diabetes management involves keeping ones blood sugar normal and stable. There are two ways that this can be done through foods; first, by eating foods that have low sugar content, and second, by eating foods that have low glycemic index. Cherries, just like most fruits, have low glycemic index; cherries also have low sugar content. It may be sweet, but the kind of sweetness it has is unlike foods that have high fructose corn syrup, where the sugar content is high. It’s being low in glycemic index means it can gradually increase the sugar level in the body. Meaning, when eating cherries, blood sugar will not shoot up quickly, as in the case of foods with high glycemic index. This therefore means that cherries are best source for managing diabetes.

6. It helps reduce pain and inflammation

   Inflammation has four classic signs: heat, redness, swelling and pain. By eating cherries, these four signs are prevented, thus reducing inflammation. Several studies have already been conducted on cherries which show its inflammation fighting qualities. One is by the University of Vermont where men who have undergone strenuous exercises were measured on their strength loss. Those who drank cherry juice have lesser strength loss and pain than those who consumed other type of beverage. This phenomenon is due to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant capacity of cherries.

   In the United States, cherries are available from May to August. So grab your bowl of cherries now and be well and healthy!

Sources
healthdiaries.com
healthbenefits-of.org
nutrition-and-you.com
sciencedaily.com
livestrong.com
beliefnet.com
livestrong.com