Health Benefits of Cherries
Although there is no concrete scientific evidence, the health benefits of cherries have been known and used as a natural remedy for several conditions related to inflammation for a long time.
Marketers and distributors of cherry juice are propagating that drinking cherry juice concentrate daily may help relieve pains such as arthritis, gout and muscle pains. Other claims made on the benefits of cherries are the ability of the fruit to protect from certain cancers, heart disease and also slows down the aging process.
These claims made on the health benefits of cherries are done after researchers found that cherries contain high levels of antioxidant called melatonin. Cherries also contain anthocyanins, the water soluble pigments that bring the color in cherries, eggplants, black raspberry and wild blueberries. What anthocyanins do is stop the production of inflammatory compounds. This pigment also protects cells from damage by free radicals. A research released in 2007 at a convention confirmed that anthocynanins have the potential to prevent conditions and illness such as cancer, inflammation, bacterial infections and aging and neurological disease.
Cherries also contain other nutrients such as potassium, vitamin A, choline, lutein and zeaxanthin, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin B and beta carotene. Both beta carotene and lutein are good for eye health and may prevent cataract.
A cherry tree may produce up to 7000 cherries. There are two varieties of cherries. One of them is the sweet cherries and the other type is sour cherries with a tart taste. Cherries are available in a variety of colors. There are pink, yellow, bright red, dark red and purplish black. Sweet cherries are normally used to make drinks, ice cream sundaes. Tart cherries are usually canned and used for making cherry juice, jam, desserts and salads.
Tart cherries are preferred to make cherry juice because of the lower content of sugar compared to sweet cherries. Furthermore, tart cherries have higher levels of phenolics, which are compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and anthocynanins.
So even though the Food and Drug Administration or FDA has disapproved of the claims made by manufacturers, growers and distributors on the health benefits of cherries and cherry juice, it shouldn't prevent you from eating cherries. You don't have to have scientific evidence and approval to eat fruits because fruits and vegetables are healthy foods.
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