Cherries
Benefits, Nutritional Profile and How to.
Cherries, while small in stature, are highly regarded as a nutrient-dense fruit due to their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, one cup of cherries (about 21 cherries) has around 15% of your daily recommended allowance of vitamin C.
This nutrient-dense fruit belongs to the genus Prunus family and is a small or generally heart-shaped fruit that is deep red in colour. The fruit is usually cultivated from several varieties of plants. However, the Bing (sweet cherries) or Montmorency (tart cherries) are the ones that are usually
used for commercial purposes.
Tart or Sour cherries might be the ones you see in the frozen section of your supermarket or in the canned products aisle. It is typically used for sauces and
pastries, while the sweet cherries are usually eaten fresh. You can read more on Cherries in this detailed article here
Cherries Nutritional Profile
150g – (1 cup) Cherries (Sweet, raw):
- Calories: 95 Kcal
- Protein: 1.59 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.02 g
- Sugars: 19.23 g
- Vitamin C: 10.5 mg
- Vitamin A: 4.50 mg
- Fat: 0.30g
- Calcium: 19.50 mg
- Potassium: 333.00 mg
- Magnesium: 16.50 mg
- Phosphorus: 31.50 mg
- Water: 123.38 g
Ref: (USDA Standard Reference)
Here are some Health Benefits of Eating Cherries
1. Have a positive effect on Diabetes due to its effect on both blood glucose and fasting glucose.
2. May be able to reduce liver triglycerides and cholesterol
3. Balancing or decreasing of blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic.
4. Showed to have a positive impact on the prevention of arthritis and gout.
5. May be able to help with both quantity and quality of sleep.
Remember, you can read the detailed article on Cherry here
Here are some ways You can include Cherries in your diet
1. Eat fresh, when possible.
2. Juice (DIY/Store-bought).
3. Cherry Ice-cream.
4. Smoothies.
5. Dried Fruit.
6. Pastries.
7. Sauces.
A Word of Caution: Cherry pits contain a substance known as amygdalin, a chemical that releases hydrogen cyanide, a toxic compound (Bolarinwa et. al. 2013; Lan & Liu, 2018). Hydrogen cyanide can potentially damage essential organs when ingested, such as the brain, lungs and heart (CDC, November 2021).
How will you add this nutrient-dense fruit to your diet?
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